Section 14 - Guilty: 04/01/22

Charge
Outcome
Court date

Court:

 

CoL court 3

Hearing date:

 

4th January 2022 am

Bench (DJ or JPs)

 

Bench

Defendant name:

 

Maria Huff

Charged with:

 

S14 in Oxford Circus, 25 August 2021

Represented by:

 

Ms Colvin, HJA

Please outline key points in prosecution and defence cases.

 

S14 introduced at 15:47. It was Tweeted and a police van was on site broadcasting it. CPS called Supt. Smart who had issued it and PC Ahmed the arresting officer. PC Ahmed’s evidence was contradictory. He said he had repeatedly warned MH but BWV evidence showed he approached her once. Video evidence also showed that although the warning of the S14 could be heard clearly outside the area of protest it could not be heard where MH was sitting because of the noise of the demonstration. He also said she had not walked when he arrested her and he needed assistance, but BWV showed clearly that she stood unaided and walked with him when arrested. Her solicitor made an application for no case to answer which was rejected by the bench.

Was defence evidence submitted in writing?

 

 

Yes

 

 

Did defence witness(es) give evidence in person? Were they cross-examined?

 

Yes, yes

What was the verdict?

 

Guilty

What was the sentence?

 

9m conditional discharge

What were the court costs?

 

£775 plus £22 victim surcharge, 28 days to pay

Please add anything else relevant.

 

A lot of S14 cases have been dropped recently, including 4 due to be held 4/1/2022. The defence solicitor said she could only use this if they had been arrested at the same time and place as MH. Does XR Legal hold this information? I think it would be useful for future cases.