Anti-lockdown protesters accused of harassing BBC journalist Nicholas Watt will stand trial in June

Anti-lockdown protesters accused of harassing BBC Newsnight journalist Nicholas Watt will stand trial in June, after today’s hearing was adjourned because one of their lawyers has Covid. 

Martin Hockridge, 57, Christopher Aitken, 62, Djazia Chaib-Eddour, 43, Alexander Peat, 34, and 44-year-old Gary Purnell are all charged with harassing the political editor in Whitehall, central London.

Hockridge is accused of yelling ‘traitor’ at the journalist, but he claimed it was not a ‘threatening or abusive word’ to use, an earlier hearing was told.

Purnell today pleaded not guilty to the charge of using threatening or abusive language or behaviour causing alarm or distress.

The other four protesters denied the same charge at an earlier hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

Peat was asked to remove a T-shirt bearing the message ‘proudly unvaccinated’ before entering the courtroom. 

The trial, originally set for today, was adjourned due to a representative of one of the defendants testing positive for Covid-19 and Purnell, who is homeless, was not informed of proceedings until Monday.

Martin Hockridge arrives at an earlier hearing. He denies using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress on June 14

Alexander Peat was asked to remove a T-shirt bearing the message ‘proudly unvaccinated’ before entering the courtroom

Gary Purnell today pleaded not guilty to the charge of using threatening or abusive language or behaviour causing alarm or distress

Judge Briony Clarke said: ‘It seems to me everyone is agreed for various reasons the best way is to have all the defendants dealt with together.

‘That includes the concern of the complainant to give evidence on separate occasions during the trial.

‘Despite the disappointment that the trial was ready to go forward today, I have decided it is in the interests of justice to list the trial for the end of June.

‘The best thing to do is adjourn all defendants until 29 June, 30 June and 1 July.’

The men were released on unconditional bail.

The defendants were supported by a large group of anti-lockdown activists, including anti-vaxxer and Covid-19 conspiracy theorist Piers Corbyn.

The group mostly stayed quiet throughout proceedings, other than when it was noted a solicitor was unable to attend court today due to contracting Covid.

Following this, Mr Corbyn shouted: ‘It’s all lies anyway!’

Ahead of his first court appearance, Hockridge wrote on Facebook: ‘I stand by my actions. It is unacceptable that the BBC lies and spread fear among the nation.

‘The propaganda pushed out by this man and the insidious organisation he works for. Nicholas Watt is a traitor, cast from the same mould as Lord Haw-Haw.’

Hockridge added: ‘Never expect the truth from the BBC, and did the weasel engineer that incident by milling around in a BBC lanyard in a crowd baring ‘The Media Is the Virus’ placards, a movement that has and is currently protesting at the BBC? I think he was hoping for that reaction.’

Boris Johnson led condemnation of ‘disgraceful’ footage of the incident, emphasising the importance of a free press to the country’s democracy. 

He tweeted: ‘Disgraceful to see the hounding of Nick Watt doing his job. 

‘The media must be able to report the facts without fear or favour – they are the lifeblood of our democracy.’ 

Other MPs also condemned the behaviour of those protesting against the Government’s extension of coronavirus restrictions.

Home Secretary Priti Patel tweeted: ‘The video of BBC Newsnight’s Nick Watt being abused by a mob is appalling and distressing. This behaviour is never acceptable.’

She later added: ‘The safety of journalists is fundamental to our democracy. This month the Government launched a consultation to better understand the nature & volume of threats and abuse against journalists who are operating in the UK.’

Aitken, of Lambeth, south London, Chaib-Eddour, of Islington, north London, Hockridge, of Harpenden, Hertfordshire, Peat, of Wandsworth, south west London, and Purnell, of no fixed abode, each deny one change of harassment.

Joseph Olswang, 39, denies the same charge but will stand trial separately. 

Nicholas Watt – the former Times and Guardian journalist who is now a key figure at BBC Newsnight

Nicholas Watt

Nicholas Watt is an experienced head at BBC’s flagship political show Newsnight, having had more than 25 years experience on national newspapers.

Now the show’s political editor, a position he has held since 2016, he previously had a distinguished career at the Guardian and the Times. 

During his time at the Guardian he served as chief political correspondent and European editor, based in Brussels. 

And at The Times, Nick served as Ireland Correspondent based in Belfast during the final years of the Troubles and the beginning of the Northern Ireland peace process.