McAlpines must wait for High Court decision

Sir Robert McAlpine and Alfred McAlpine will have to wait a few weeks for Mr Justice Mann to deliver his judgement on the former's High Court case against the latter.

The case started last Tuesday (2 March) and is thought to have cost £1m.

For Alfred McAlpine, Simon Thorley QC said: "There is nothing sinister in what we have done."

He said all the witnesses had testified to the fact that they were aware there were two companies.

"There was no suggestion by anybody in this case that they were anything but wholly aware that there were two companies."

For Sir Robert McAlpine, Roger Wyand QC said Alfred McAlpine's decision to drop its first name has removed the distinction between the two firms.

He said it was less and less likely that the press would be able to distinguish between the two companies.