Da Vinci Code judge honours hero

Mr Justice Peter Smith wants his hero honoured in Trafalgar Square

The judge in the Da Vinci Code libel case has called for the admiral he referred to in a code hidden in his High Court ruling to be honoured.

Mr Justice Peter Smith said he thought the empty plinth in Trafalgar Square should be dedicated to his hero Admiral Jackie Fisher.

He made the comments while officially opening an exhibition on the warships at the Royal Naval Museum, Portsmouth.

The hidden message read: "Smithy Code Jackie Fisher who are you Dreadnought."

In April, Mr Justice Smith ruled that The Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown had not breached the copyright of an earlier book, The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail.

It's impossible to turn back the clocks and make people interested in an admiral who died in obscurity Mr Justice Peter Smith

In his 71-page ruling he had, "as a bit of fun", hidden the phrase, which refers to Admiral Jackie Fisher, who built HMS Dreadnought - the first modern warship.

The vessel was launched in February 1906, exactly 100 years prior to the start of the libel court case.

Mr Justice Smith said: "Jackie Fisher had a very strong personality and was a very interesting character.

"He was our nation's second greatest admiral yet he has disappeared completely from our history, there is no statue of him in Trafalgar Square.

"No one is interested in him, it's impossible to turn back the clocks and make people interested in an admiral who died in obscurity.

HMS Dreadnought was built in Portsmouth Dockyard

"I personally think they should give him the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square."

Julian Thomas, Royal Naval Museum development manager, said: "Mr Justice Smith has asked 'Jackie Fisher who are you Dreadnought?' and we are in a position to answer his question.

"It was Mr Justice Smith's hero Admiral Fisher who was the driving force behind the Dreadnoughts which were a revolutionary step in warship design.

"They had bigger guns and were faster than any other warship of the time."

The exhibition - Dreadnoughts: The ships and the men who built, sailed and fought them - runs until March 2007.