Piers Corbyn, 74, will face trial in May for breaking Covid rules

Piers Corbyn, 74, will face trial in May for breaking Covid rules in series of London anti-lockdown protests

  • He appeared before magistrates charged with five counts of holding a gathering
  • Also charged with participating in gathering of more people than rules allowed
  • They relate to events in Westminster between August 29 and December 31, 2020

Piers Corbyn will face trial in May charged with breaching Covid rules during a series of anti-lockdown protests in central London.

The 74-year-old appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today charged with five counts of holding a gathering and five counts of participating in a gathering of more people than restrictions allowed at the time.

The charges relate to five separate incidents in Trafalgar Square or within the City of Westminster between August 29 and December 31 2020.

Piers Corbyn (pictured outside court today) will face trial in May charged with breaching Covid rules during a series of anti-lockdown protests in central London

Piers Corbyn and fellow campaigner Kate Shemirani at a protest in Trafalgar Square on July 24, 2021

Piers Corbyn and fellow campaigner Kate Shemirani at a protest in Trafalgar Square on July 24, 2021

Fellow protesters Vincent Dunmall, 55, and Louise Creffield, 35, also appeared in court charged with four counts of holding a gathering and four counts of participating in a gathering that breached restrictions on four occasions between August 29 and November 28 2020.

All three defendants’ lawyers argued that prosecutors made several failings during the evidence disclosure process.

They included failing to hand the defence teams video footage in a format that allowed them time to review it effectively before trial, the court heard.

Richard Parry, defending Corbyn, told the court it was ‘simply impossible’ for proceedings to go ahead in the next few days.

Asked by District Judge Timothy Godfrey if any other evidence could be heard this week, prosecutor Flora Page agreed with the defence, saying: ‘Realistically I do not see how this trial can go ahead under these circumstances.’

District Judge Godfrey adjourned the trial until May 17.

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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10415075/Piers-Corbyn-74-face-trial-breaking-Covid-rules.html

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