The trial of a man accused of racially aggravated harassment at an EDL protest in Halifax was thrown out after magistrates ruled there was not enough evidence.

Dennis Farrell, of High Lees Road, Halifax, was charged with the offence after the English Defence League rally in Halifax on April 2. Farrell pleaded not guilty. Prosecutor Andy Dinning told the court he had been involved in filming the demonstration and had used offensive language.

Police said Farrell was seen in the Courtyard pub holding the camera. A voice could be heard shouting abuse, and DC Facey said no one else could be seen on CCTV standing near the microphone. But his solicitor, Richard Brown, argued there was no case to answer and there was no proof it was Farrell.

Halifax Courier, 8 November 2011

You’ll note that Farrell did not dispute that racial abuse was shouted – only that he was the EDL supporter who shouted it.

A man was arrested at a train station for threatening to hit a rail worker. Lee Anthony Dunn, of Sydney Gardens, South Shields, was travelling on the King’s Cross to Sunderland train on September 3, passing Hartlepool, when he was asked to move by a train manager who wanted to get past. Hartlepool Magistrates’ Court heard that the 27-year-old asbestos fitter – who was with a gang from the far-right movement the English Defence League – refused to budge.

Prosecuting, Paul Power said: “The train manager asked the defendant to move so he could pass again, and he swore at the worker. This made the train manager nervous, because of the defendant’s size and because he was an English Defence League supporter.

“He ordered the train manager to zig-zag through him and his friends, and he warned the worker that he would hit him if he asked again. The train manager retreated behind two security officers who happened to be on the train, and police were informed. The defendant continued to square up to other people on the train, and the bar had to be closed.”

Dunn admitted using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour. He was fined £300 and told to pay £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Shields Gazette, 8 November 2011

A right-wing extremist who was arrested on his way to the EDL march in Aylesbury last year for abusing police officers has had his appeal turned down. Daryl Hobson appeared at Aylesbury Crown Court on Friday in a bid to get his sentence overturned.

Hobson, 44, was stopped by police last year on May 1, as he was holding a large union flag out the car window. When stopped, Hobson insulted police officers, calling them “f***ing jobsworths” and labelled one of them “Robocop” and “a clown”. Officers eventually lost their patience when he began chanting support for a man who killed three police officers.

When describing the incident, PC Ahmed Chaudry said: “The gentleman got out of the car and came up to me and said: ‘What do you want?’ in an aggressive manner.” He said coachloads of EDL supporters began driving past, prompting Hobson to put his arms in the air and shout EDL slogans.

Police sergeants Luke Pillinger and Spencer Kervin were passing when they saw what was happening and stopped to help. Sgt Kervin said: “He got within arm’s length and shouted behind me: ‘Harry Roberts is my friend. He kills coppers’, very loud.”

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A 28 year old man has today been given a 12 week suspended prison sentence after he was convicted of common assault following an English Defence League rally in Blackburn.

Stephen Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, of Layham Drive, Luton was found guilty following a one day trial at Preston Magistrates Court on Thursday 29th September. He was sentenced at Preston Magistrates Court today (Thursday, November 3^rd) where in addition to the prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, he was given an 150 hour community order and told to pay £200 costs.

Lennon was charged with assault in June after an altercation with a member of the crowd at the EDL demonstration in Blackburn town centre in April.

Superintendent Jon Puttock, from Blackburn Police, said: “I am satisfied with today’s sentence. At the time of the demonstration we said we would facilitate any protest which was peaceful and deal firmly with those committing crime and disorder and this conviction and sentence today demonstrates that.”

Lancashire Police news report, 3 November 2011

Others of us will be far from satisfied with the penalty imposed on Lennon. With his record – he had previously served 12 months for assault on an off-duty police officer in 2005 – a custodial sentence would have been more appropriate. At the very least Lennon should have got a CRASBO to prevent him attending any further EDL rallies, which is what the police applied for. The EDL themselves are evidently not unhappy with the result:

Update:  See also “EDL leader Lennon Asbo bid rejected”, Press Association, 3 November 2011

Regarding the application for a CRASBO, Lennon is reported as saying: “This was an attempt to silence me and take away my democratic rights. I respect the judge for this decision. If the Asbo had been imposed, it would have meant me going to jail. I would have broken it and broken it.”

Update 2:  See comments by Casuals United (“A good day for justice as stitch up after stitch up falls to the wayside”) and the EDL (“The not so great state-sponsored stitch-up”). The latter piece contains details of the charge of which EDL co-leader Kevin Carroll was acquitted: “Six officers had claimed that Kev had picked up a metal barrier in order to hurl it at police.”