Two Bolton EDL demo police officers accused of perverting the course of justice
Article published: Friday, August 31st 2012
Two Greater Manchester Police riot officers are to appear before magistrates on charges of perverting the course of justice in relation to the policing of a demonstration against the English Defence League.
Police officers at the demonstration in Bolton on 20 March 2010. Photograph © trhippy on www.flickr.com
Police officers Inspector Robert Cantrell and PC Alan Glover have been summoned to appear at York magistrates’ court at a date in September. The charges relate to an incident involving Unite Against Fascism campaigner Alan Clough, who was allegedly attacked by police.
Clough was arrested during a protest against the presence of the far-right EDL in Bolton on 20 March 2010 and charged with using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour. The 63-year-old UAF activist strongly denied the charges.
The case was later dropped after Granada TV video footage was handed to Clough’s defence team that apparently showed police officers gripping his neck, punching him in the face and striking him with batons as he was dragged to the ground.
Clough suffered wrist and neck injuries from the incident.
Over 3,500 UAF and EDL protestors faced off against one another in Bolton’s Victoria Square during the demonstration. Police arrested 73 people on the day, of which 54 were affiliated to UAF. Two injuries were suffered by police – a fractured finger and a bite from a mishandled police dog.
Justice4Bolton, a campaign group set up in the aftermath of the demonstration, accused the police of criminalising anti-fascist protesters and called for an inquiry. Local MP Yasmin Qureshi also said she witnessed “heavy handed behaviour” from some police officers at the protest.
An internal GMP inquiry was later taken over by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which submitted a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) last February.
An IPCC spokesperson said, “The charges are in relation to allegations that on the basis of a false account given by the officers a man was charged with a public order offence.
“The CPS decided subsequently not to proceed with the case against the man when video evidence emerged which did not appear to support the police account.”
The CPS confirmed that charges were being brought against the officers.
Richard Goulding
More: Manchester, News, Policing
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