Doesn’t the taxpayer fund Sandringham? Fckn oily, entitled, over privileged cvnting sex offender. Throw him in the Tower!
Privately owned….after our forebears paid for it no doubt. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62elnjnqqxo
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjekdqj7529o I don't know what's more laughable, the fact that they were acquitted or that these Just Stop Oil protestors are that principled that they all jumped in a petrol engined car to go down to protest about oil... Interesting how one of the defendants changes name part way through the article but that is more reflective of the standards of the BBC these days.
The CPS massively overplayed their hand by charging them with public nuisance as that meant the Crown needed to prove serious harm, or serious annoyance, or serious inconvenience, or serious loss of amenity and there's also a statutory defence of "reasonable excuse", which includes the right to protest. Plus, the offence carries a maximum sentence of 10 years and juries are often reluctant to convict defendants where relatively minor misconduct results in conviction for a serious offence and exposure to a harsh sentence. They should have charged them with simple criminal damage of less than £5,000, which is a summary only offence (ie: no right to trial by jury). That would have landed 'em in front of a cynical old Stipe* whose patience had the breaking strain of a stale Kit Kat and as such would not have tolerated any of the usual disruptive shenanigans, showboating or pious little homilies and sermons, the trial would have lasted about an hour and half and likely resulted, as 95% of Mags cases do, in a conviction. It would also be a LOT cheaper than a 10 day Crown Court trial. * "Stipendiary Magistrate", but nowadays referred to more prosaically as a "District Judge"
And then end up in front of a Crown Court judge sitting with two lay Mags but no jury, which just means more of the same.
Andrew's last remaining rank is Vice Admiral, now to be removed. They should take away the "Admiral" only, and just leave him with "Vice".