1 COURTS WOMBLES NIGHTLEAD
POLICEMAN TELLS COURT OF ATTACK BY WOMBLES
By Nick Allen, PA News
A policeman today told a court how he was swamped by a "sea" of masked anarchists who punched and kicked him after he arrested one of them.
Pc Martin Hayes said he and other officers were surrounded by around 20 people from the "Wombles" - an anarchist group - dressed in white paper suits and white masks who rained down blows on the police and their van.
The alleged attack happened on October 31 last year in Oxford Street, central London, after the protesters had taken part in a demonstration against a visit by Henry Kissinger outside the Institute of Directors.
Seven defendants deny a total of 14 charges - four of assaulting a police officer, six of using threatening words or behaviour, three of being drunk and disorderly and one of criminal damage.
They claim they were on their way to a Halloween party.
Pc Hayes told Horseferry Road magistrates court that one of the group, Martin Brenton King, 28, of Oakfield Road, Finsbury Park, London, made an obscene gesture and V-sign at the police carrier van when it drove by.
He said he got out of the van and approached King, shepherding him away from his friends so that he "wouldn't be embarrassed" while the officer spoke to him.
Pc Hayes claimed King then called him a "fascist pig" and that the crowd surged around them so he moved King into a doorway of the Wallis women's clothing store for his own safety.
But King then struggled, so he arrested and handcuffed him behind his back.
Pc Hayes said: "When I looked back, I saw a number of my colleagues with backs to me covering my back. Beyond that was basically a sea of masked individuals.
"They were screaming abuse at my colleagues, lashing out with their arms and screaming to let their friend go.
"There was no safe way for us all to get back into the carrier.
"We stood backs to the carrier and kept fending people off, they kept screaming out at us to let King go.
"I was punched and kicked throughout.
"We were basically swamped, we all felt extremely threatened. I've never been in a situation like that before, I've faced extreme violence before but not from that many people."
"I was confronted by a wall of masked individuals all punching and kicking out at me, I couldn't specify who was doing what, it was too crazy to be able to do that.
"As soon as we were in the vehicle, there was a big surge forward and they started kicking the side of our vehicle repeatedly. It literally sounded like rain on the carrier.
"We pulled out on to Oxford Street and at that point a bus going down Oxford Street struck us from behind.
"As we moved off, they moved with us and continued to kick our vehicle."
As further police converged on the scene, the Wombles ran off and were chased by Pc Hayes and others.
He said he caught up with them in a side street near Marble Arch.
"I approached one of them who was trying to pull the paper suit from his ankles, I'm not sure if the wellingtons he was wearing were preventing that, and the mask was perched on top of his head," he told the court.
"I remember being hit because my eyes watered quite a bit, he was lunging out with arms and whatever else.
"I had already been kicked in the ankle, then I got lamped in the face with his elbow or fist."
Pc Hayes, an officer for six years who has experience with policing football matches and demonstrations, said: "I can say quite safely in six years and having served on the last two May Days I haven't seen anything like that before.
"I've never seen violence like that break out totally unprovoked."
Eyewitness Edward Cox, a machine operator who was helping to erect Christmas lights, said: "When they got out of the van the crowd just went ballistic.
"It started off as what seemed a reasonable type protest and then it escalated into a big almighty uproar."
He said he had seen some of the group throw their white overalls into a skip as they ran away.
Kieran Vaughan, representing King, claimed his client never called the officer a "fascist pig" and only said "what are you doing?".
Jo Cooper, representing another defendant, Clayton Elliot, claimed Pc Hayes was regarded as "trigger happy" and a "dangerous twit" by his colleagues.
"On that day you were a bully as well as a twit," he said.
Pc Hayes denied this but added: "I feel, e a right to expect me to challenge anti-social behaviour, that they can expect to walk in Oxford Street without people making obscene gestures at police vehicles."
Mr Cooper said Pc Hayes' actions had resulted in 12 officers, who had been brought in to boost anti-terrorism patrols in the wake of September 11, being taken off Oxford Street for six hours.
Pc Hayes admitted that in the fracas female protesters may have been pushed by police.
But he denied sayinct."
Defence lawyers also suggested that when one woman asked for an officer's badge number, she was sworn at and called a "stupid little slut".
The seven defendants are King, charged with being drunk and disorderly and using threatening words and behaviour; Graham McAleer, 47, also of Oakfield Road, charged with being drunk and disorderly and using threatening words oth criminal damage, assaulting a police officer and using threatening words or behaviour; Robin Horsell, 41, of Alberta Street, London, charged with being drunk and disorderly, assaulting a police officer and using threatening words or behaviour; James Bennet McComish, 28, of Oriel Road, Homerton, London, charged with assaulting a police officer; Clayton John Elliot, 28, of Lewisham High Street, London, charged with assaulting a police officer and using threatening words or behaviour; Peter Gerajhty, 37, of Holden Road, Finchley, charged with uThe trial was adjourned until tomorrow.

 Keyword  1 COURTS WOMBLES NIGHTLEAD
 Reference  PA
 Filename  HSA3225  Source ID  HSA  Seq. No.  3225  Take No.  1
 Source  PA  Cat. Code  HHH  Priority  4  Words  1014
 Time  18:40  Date  29 Apr '02 w4home shiva1a,31101