Charges dropped in Parliament Square case
A hunt supporter arrested months after the Parliament Square demonstration last September has had charges against her dropped at her second appearance in court.
Kate Lovelace, 28, attended a hearing last week at Bow Street Magistrates’ Court to be told the charge of threatening behaviour under section four of the Public Order Act had been withdrawn. She had already appeared in court two weeks earlier to find that the prosecution asked for an adjournment because it did not have the necessary papers.
“It’s a relief,” said Kate, who hunts with the South Dorset and works in racehorse insurance. “But I really didn’t think they had any sort of case. I’m not out of pocket — I was granted legal aid — but it was a nuisance because I wasted two days’ holiday to go to court.”
Kate was one of the several people arrested who had earlier complained about police behaviour at the demonstration to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). She told the IPCC in a four-hour interview at home that she was hit by a police baton at around 6pm.
At the end of January she received a letter from the police saying she was under arrest.
“I don’t know if my arrest was linked to my complaint to the IPCC. Pictures of me bleeding had appeared in the papers, so it could have been related to that,” added Kate.
- A police officer accused of assaulting a pro-hunting protestor during the demonstration in Parliament Square last September appeared in court yesterday (Thursday 24 March).The Metropolitan Police Constable denied the assault and was released on unconditional bail until 26 May, when a date will be set for the trial. The PC has been removed from operational duties while legal proceeding are ongoing.
This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (24 March ’05)
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