In Brighton magistrates today Paul was rebailed till a committal hearing at the same place in July 29th. There a trial date will be announced. It will take place before a jury in Lewes Crown Court. It is likely that the trial will take place about six weeks after that date in around mid september.
The maximum penalty for a breach of a High Court interim injunction under section 3 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 is five years imprisonment.
No political activist or demonstrator has ever been convicted of this offence to this day.
Only a handfull of prosecutions have ever been brought against demonstrators or protestors under an harassment act injunction breach.Pauls alleged breach was to film a 'protected person'. No violence or threat of violence was alleged to have been commited by Paul. He was acting as a legal observer on the day at a peaceful demonstartion and the men he filmed did not identify themselves as protected under the injunction.
Meanwhile a date for the full trial of the EDO injunction has been listed for 21st November and is expected to last two weeks. It will take place in the High Court, Royal Courts of Justice, the Strand, London.
The evidence for 'harassment' against several named protestors and groups will there be examined properly for the first time. This is likely to be too late for Paul's case (who is not even named on the injunction) and there is a possibility that he could be convicted and imprisoned (again) for a breach of the interim injunction which is based on prima facia examination of the arguments in the case.
Demonstrations continue outside EDO MBM , home Farm Road, Moulsecoomb, Brighton.
Every Wednesday 4-6pm
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