A senior Metropolitan Police officer responsible for imposing a dispersal order allegedly breached by Tommy Robinson has admitted that the order may not have been lawful due to an error in the date on the paperwork.
Robinson, 40, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley Lennon, denies failing to comply with a direction to leave an area in Westminster on November 26 last year. He was arrested at a march against antisemitism near the Royal Courts of Justice in London after organizers said he would not be welcome at the event.
Inspector Steve Parker-Phipps, who was responsible for policing certain aspects of the protest, imposed a Section 35 order under the Crime and Policing Act 2014 when he thought a “right-wing group” could potentially be attending.
However, during the trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, it was revealed that due to the inspector’s laptop battery “dying,” the order was put in place on November 26 but accidentally dated for November 24.
When questioned about the error by Robinson’s defense lawyer, Inspector Parker-Phipps stated that the document was not correct and that he could not confirm with confidence that a lawful order was in place.
Prosecutor Jonathan Bryan told the court that Robinson “became resistant” when ordered to leave the area and was subsequently arrested, with officers using synthetic pepper spray and handcuffs.
The trial continues.
