Police drop rape case against ex-MP Crispin Blunt
Mr Blunt said at the time of his arrest he would "co-operate fully" with the investigation and was "confident" he would not be charged.He was first elected to parliament in 1997 as a Conservative. He had the Tory whip withdrawn following the arrest and stood as an independent MP.He did not contest the 2024 general election.
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The Independent
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Man dies and another missing after inflatable boat crash near Portsmouth
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The Independent
18 minutes ago
- The Independent
Housing asylum seekers in Essex hotel causing ‘very serious problem', court told
Housing asylum seekers at an Essex hotel is becoming a 'very serious problem' which 'could not be much worse', a council has told the High Court. Epping Forest District Council is seeking an interim injunction stopping migrants from being accommodated at the Bell Hotel in Epping, which is owned by Somani Hotels Limited. It comes after a series of protests in recent weeks outside the hotel, after an asylum seeker was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. Barristers for the council claimed on Friday that Somani Hotels breached planning rules as the site is not being used for its intended purpose as a hotel, stating there was an 'overwhelming case for an injunction'. Somani Hotels is defending the claim, with its barristers telling the court in London that an injunction would cause asylum seekers 'hardship' and that the move would set 'a dangerous precedent that protests justify planning injunctions'. Opening the hearing in London, Philip Coppel KC, for the council, said: 'Epping Forest District Council comes to this court seeking an injunction because it has a very serious problem. 'It is a problem that is getting out of hand; it is a problem that is causing a great anxiety to those living in the district. 'The problem has arisen because of a breach of planning control by the defendant.' He continued: 'There is no agreement between (asylum seekers) and the hotel, they do not choose the duration of their stay… they do not choose the type of room. 'For them, the Bell Hotel is no more a hotel than a borstal to a young offender.' Mr Coppel told the court that the Bell Hotel had not been used as a hotel since the Covid-19 pandemic, and was now 'unrecognisable as a hotel, but for an old sign'. He added that Somani Hotels had not had 'the courage of conviction to seek a certificate of lawful use', which would have 'resolved the matter in its favour'. Mr Coppel also referenced the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl by an asylum seeker who was placed in the hotel, which sparked a series of protests, and said several schools were in the nearby area. He said: 'Having this sort of thing go on in such a concentration of schools with no measures in place to stop a repetition is not acceptable.' He continued: 'It really could not be much worse than this.' In written submissions for the hearing, Mr Coppel said there was a 'preponderance of factors overwhelmingly in favour of granting an injunction'. He said these included removing 'the catalyst for violent protests in public places'. The barrister added: 'Allowing the status quo to continue is wholly unacceptable, providing a feeding ground for unrest.' He also told the court that the case has been brought against the hotel owner because it is the landowner, and had previously applied for planning permission. Piers Riley-Smith, representing Somani Hotels, told the court in written submissions that the Home Office's contracted service provider, Corporate Travel Management (North) Limited (CTM), should be involved in the case. He said that CTM should be included as it had 'booked the premises and manages and organises the movement and stay of asylum seekers', adding that the injunction bid should be delayed to a later date. He continued that the alleged planning breach was 'not flagrant', and that the 'defendant has not resumed the use knowing it is in breach of planning control and hiding the use from the council'. Mr Riley-Smith also said that the company accepted that since the Southport riots in summer 2024, 'where the perpetrator was mistaken to be an asylum seeker', and the alleged sexual assault in Epping, 'there has been public concern about the use as evidenced by highly publicised violent and disorderly protests'. He continued: 'However, the court should bear in mind – as recognised by the claimant – that these have spread far beyond locals who might have a genuine concern about their area to a wider group with more strategic national and ideological aims, but that does not necessarily mean the concerns are well-founded. 'Fears as to an increase of crime associated with asylum seekers or a danger to schools are common, but that does not make them well-founded.' The hearing before Mr Justice Eyre is due to conclude on Friday.
The Independent
18 minutes ago
- The Independent
Britain's rights watchdog warns against heavy-handed policing amid Gaza demos
Britain's human rights watchdog has warned against 'heavy-handed policing' which it said risks a 'chilling effect' on protest rights amid recent demonstrations about the war in Gaza. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has written to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley to remind them that the 'right to protest is a cornerstone of any healthy democracy'. The letter, from EHRC chairwoman Baroness Kishwer Falkner, raised concerns about 'reports of police engagement with individuals participating in forms of protest that are not linked to any proscribed organisation'. The commission referenced a report by the Guardian newspaper about a woman said to have been threatened with arrest under the Terrorism Act for holding a Palestinian flag and signs saying 'Free Gaza' and 'Israel is committing genocide'. The woman was reportedly told by police that her demonstration in Canterbury, Kent, in July expressed views supportive of Palestine Action, an organisation which has been banned by the Government. The woman said neither of her signs mentioned Palestine Action and that she had told police she did not support any proscribed organisations. Baroness Falkner said any interference with protest rights 'must be lawful and assessed case-by-case'. She added: 'Heavy-handed policing or blanket approaches risk creating a chilling effect, deterring citizens from exercising their fundamental rights to freedom of expression and assembly through fear of possible consequences. 'This concern extends beyond those directly affected by police engagement to the broader health of our democracy, because the perception that peaceful protest may attract disproportionate police attention undermines confidence in our human rights protections.' The EHRC said Government and police authorities must 'ensure that all officers receive clear and consistent guidance on their human rights obligations' when it comes to protests. 'This guidance should ensure that the appropriate balance is maintained between public safety and the protection of essential human rights,' Baroness Falkner added. Palestine Action was proscribed by the UK Government in July, with the ban meaning that membership of, or support for, the group is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison, under the Terrorism Act 2000. More than 500 people were arrested last weekend on suspicion of displaying an item in support of a proscribed group, as demonstrations took place in central London. Downing Street has described Palestine Action as 'violent' and said it has committed 'significant injury' as well as criminal damage, adding that evidence and security assessments shared in closed court supported its proscription. Palestine Action said Downing Street's accusations were 'false and defamatory' and 'disproven by the Government's own intelligence assessment'.
