In reply to:
Whichever way you look at it, the Agent did not tell the truth first time round, to me that is a lie, or as my mum would say a 'White Lie' although not intentional.
Lie \Lie\ (l[imac]), n. [AS. lyge; akin to D. leugen, OHG. lugi,
1. A falsehood uttered or acted
for the purpose of deception;
an intentional violation of truth; an untruth spoken with
the intention to deceive.
[1913 Webster]
I know there are other definitions which refer to simply a ficticious statement etc. but the general perception of a lie is something that is intended, not a mistake.
Therefore if you call someone a liar you are accusing them of purposefully deceiving.. not making a mistake (even a negligent one)
This may have been the last straw but this was not the main issue at the heart of this issue so I'm not going to labour on this.
seb