The Virgin boss Richard Branson and Guy Snowden, a director of the national lottery firm Camelot, have both been at the High Court suing each other for libel.

Both issued writs following a 1995 Panorama programme in which Mr Branson accused Mr Snowden of trying to bribe him. Mr Branson said the attempted bribe to withdraw his bid to run the lottery took place at a business lunch in 1993.

BBC correspondent Duncan Kennedy explains the case (Dur: 2' 20")

Mr Snowden runs G-Tech, the biggest lottery operator in America, and is a shareholder in Camelot, the company that was successful in its bid for the lottery licence.

G-Tech and Mr Snowden deny that a bribe ever took place.

Mr Branson is suing them for implying that he is a liar.

Mr Snowden is counter-suing. He says it was libellous to accuse him of offering a bribe.

Bribery "plain as a pikestaff"

Richard Branson, accompanied by his father Ted, himself a former barrister, was in court on Monday for a preliminary hearing behind closed doors.

His legal team is led by George Carman QC, the top libel lawyer who represented the Guardian against the former Conservative MP Jonathan Aitken.

In court on Tuesday, Mr Carman said that Mr Snowden saw Mr Branson's proposed bid for the National lottery, in which all the operator's profits went to charity, as a danger to his own plans, which included the operator keeping the profits.

Mr Carman claimed that Mr Snowden said during the business lunch in 1993 which took place at Mr Branson's house: "I don't know how to phrase this, Richard. There's always a bottom line. I'll get to the point. In what way can we help you? ... I mean, what can I do for you personally?"

Mr Carman said this was "as plain as a pikestaff" an effort to bribe Mr Branson to drop out of the running.

Mr Snowden's lawyers will put his side of the case next week.

Richard Branson is due to give evidence on Wednesday. The case is expected to last about three weeks.
 

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