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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Activist 'shocked' at conviction for yelling at David Cameron | Activist 'shocked' at conviction for yelling at David Cameron |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| A woman has described her shock after being found guilty of a public order offence for telling David Cameron he had "blood on his hands". | A woman has described her shock after being found guilty of a public order offence for telling David Cameron he had "blood on his hands". |
| Bethan Tichborne, 28, said initially she assumed her court summons was a bureaucratic error after she was arrested for protesting against cuts to disability benefits. But she was told by a district judge that her comments must have hugely insulted the prime minister. | Bethan Tichborne, 28, said initially she assumed her court summons was a bureaucratic error after she was arrested for protesting against cuts to disability benefits. But she was told by a district judge that her comments must have hugely insulted the prime minister. |
| Cameron was switching on the Christmas lights in his Witney constituency in Oxfordshire, in December, when Tichborne tried to climb a barrier with her homemade placard. The one-woman protest, she claims, was against cuts leading to the deaths of people with disabilities. She believes her conviction at Oxford magistrates court last week was politically motivated. | Cameron was switching on the Christmas lights in his Witney constituency in Oxfordshire, in December, when Tichborne tried to climb a barrier with her homemade placard. The one-woman protest, she claims, was against cuts leading to the deaths of people with disabilities. She believes her conviction at Oxford magistrates court last week was politically motivated. |
| District Judge Tim Pattinson told her: "It is difficult to think of a clearer example of disorderly behaviour than to climb or attempt to climb a barrier at a highly security-sensitive public occasion." | District Judge Tim Pattinson told her: "It is difficult to think of a clearer example of disorderly behaviour than to climb or attempt to climb a barrier at a highly security-sensitive public occasion." |
| Judge Pattinson praised Tichborne's previous good character but said her comments that Cameron "had blood on his hands" could "hardly be more insulting to anyone, whether a politician or not". | Judge Pattinson praised Tichborne's previous good character but said her comments that Cameron "had blood on his hands" could "hardly be more insulting to anyone, whether a politician or not". |
| The 28-year-old was convicted of using threatening words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress. | The 28-year-old was convicted of using threatening words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress. |
| Tichborne, a teaching assistant who works with disabled children, said that she now intends to appeal against the conviction. "My faith in the court system is a bit shaky but on the other hand I feel I've got to hold them to account." | Tichborne, a teaching assistant who works with disabled children, said that she now intends to appeal against the conviction. "My faith in the court system is a bit shaky but on the other hand I feel I've got to hold them to account." |
| She added: "I am really quite shocked and quite sad … I had a placard that said Cameron has got blood on his hands and shouted disabled people are dying because of Cameron's policies. | She added: "I am really quite shocked and quite sad … I had a placard that said Cameron has got blood on his hands and shouted disabled people are dying because of Cameron's policies. |
| "The judge said stuff in his verdict that made it very clear it was political, like he couldn't think of anything more insulting or offensive." | "The judge said stuff in his verdict that made it very clear it was political, like he couldn't think of anything more insulting or offensive." |
| She also alleged police beat her up moments after she tried to scale the barrier separating Cameron from the crowd. | She also alleged police beat her up moments after she tried to scale the barrier separating Cameron from the crowd. |
| "Two lots of Cameron's undercover police grabbed me but then when I was turned over to Thames Valley police they just put me face down on the ground and beat me up quite badly. I was really scared, it felt like there were at least three or four, someone kneeling on my back, someone stamping on my knees. | "Two lots of Cameron's undercover police grabbed me but then when I was turned over to Thames Valley police they just put me face down on the ground and beat me up quite badly. I was really scared, it felt like there were at least three or four, someone kneeling on my back, someone stamping on my knees. |
| "My nose was bleeding, my glasses had come off, I had no idea what was going on. I got really scared when one of them who was on my back moved up and put their knee with quite a lot of weight on the back of my neck. I started thinking: 'Oh God I can see the headlines'. I thought they were going to do real damage." | "My nose was bleeding, my glasses had come off, I had no idea what was going on. I got really scared when one of them who was on my back moved up and put their knee with quite a lot of weight on the back of my neck. I started thinking: 'Oh God I can see the headlines'. I thought they were going to do real damage." |
| The court hearing was told that a children's choir standing at the side of the stage, waiting to perform, were terrified and that their shocked teacher heard Tichborne swear before trying to climb over the waist-high barrier. | The court hearing was told that a children's choir standing at the side of the stage, waiting to perform, were terrified and that their shocked teacher heard Tichborne swear before trying to climb over the waist-high barrier. |
| A police officer told the court that Tichborne's demeanour was "angry, fixated, aggressive and very focused on her intentions". | A police officer told the court that Tichborne's demeanour was "angry, fixated, aggressive and very focused on her intentions". |
| Tichborne added: "I really genuinely thought it was some kind of a bureaucratic mistake that it had come to court. I really really didn't expect to be found guilty, two-thirds of the public gallery walked out in protest as the verdict was being read out." | Tichborne added: "I really genuinely thought it was some kind of a bureaucratic mistake that it had come to court. I really really didn't expect to be found guilty, two-thirds of the public gallery walked out in protest as the verdict was being read out." |
| She had wanted to read out a version of "Callum's List" which documents the names of those who have allegedly died, through suicide or natural causes, as a result of losing their benefits. | She had wanted to read out a version of "Callum's List" which documents the names of those who have allegedly died, through suicide or natural causes, as a result of losing their benefits. |
| Pattinson ordered her to pay a £225 fine, a victim surcharge of £22 and to make a contribution of £500 towards court costs, which supporters of Tichborne have already raised. | Pattinson ordered her to pay a £225 fine, a victim surcharge of £22 and to make a contribution of £500 towards court costs, which supporters of Tichborne have already raised. |
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