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Yellow vest protesters storm Attorney General's office after day of chaos in court for James Goddard hearing

 - PA
- PA

Yellow vest demonstrators  stormed the Attorney General's office in the latest stunt in a day of chaos in Westminster following protester James Goddard's court appearance for allegedly abusing Anna Soubry MP.

Live video posted on Facebook showed a group of protesters in yellow vests, stood on the stairwell singing "we want a new Attorney General".

They then knocked on an office door within the building, shouting: "Hello, the little people are here."

The video then showed police climbing the stairs to meet the demonstrators, who at that point sat down on the stairwell.

The group sang "justice for the three" and "shame on you" as officers surrounded them and the fire alarm continued to ring out.

Their chants relate to three teenage boys who were killed by a drink-driver in Hayes. The group believe this was an act of terrorism, which was covered up by the Government.

But Jaynesh Chudasama was jailed for 13 years last year over the incident, and there is no evidence to suggest that he was an extremist.

Security guards for Westminster Abbey have also moved in and told protesters: "Time to make a move now please." Protesters refused to move and continued to chant. Police were eventually called, but no arrests were made.

Earlier, a court hearing for self styled yellow vest protester James Goddard had to be suspended after descending into chaos at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

Mr Goddard, 29, is accused of harassing MP Anna Soubry outside parliament between December 18 last year and January 8.

He appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court where he pleaded not guilty to the charges. But the hearing had to be suspended when some of his supporters began heckling and entered the dock to join him.

The case resumed briefly so that Mr Goddard could be informed of his bail conditions, but the hearing descended into farce again as the defendant left the dock to address the judge.

Yellow vest protester James Goddard appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court for a chaotic hearing 
Yellow vest protester James Goddard appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court for a chaotic hearing

Members of the public gallery again shouted "shame on you" as the hearing came to an abrupt conclusion. Mr Goddard will face a two day trial beginning on July 19.

Mr Goddard, wearing a white T-shirt featuring a British flag, a logo for "The Directory Guys", a motif of three children's faces, and the words "our boys", had earlier used his mobile phone in the dock as he waited for the case to begin.

He briefly left the courtroom before the hearing started to talk with his solicitor after a member of the public shouted legal advice from the packed public gallery, where several of his supporters were sat on the floor.

Mr Goddard asked "Why?" when told to stand for the charges to be read and gave his nationality as English, but refused to give his address due to the "vultures" in court.

He is expected to rely on a defence of "fair comment".

Yellow vest protesters storm Attorney General's office after day of chaos in court for James Goddard hearing - Credit: Nick Ansell/PA
Yellow vest protesters storm Attorney General's office after day of chaos in court for James Goddard hearing Credit: Nick Ansell/PA

Addressing judge Kenneth Grant from the dock, Mr Goddard said: "It's not illegal to heckle an MP. All of this is wrong."

Mr Grant rose and temporarily adjourned the case 15 minutes into the hearing  after several members of the public gallery began shouting about Brexit, made derogatory comments about Anna Soubry, and chanted "Shame on you".

Ms Soubry, a prominent supporter of a second EU referendum, was taunted during a television interview and then followed by a group of men as she returned to Parliament.

The incident led to increased police patrols around Westminster and a debate over whether the protests near Parliament had crossed a line.

'Urgent investigation' launched into farcical hearing

The courts service has launched an "urgent investigation" after a hearing involving self-styled "yellow vest" protester James Goddard descended into farce, with supporters disrupting the hearing and sitting in the dock amid allegations of intimidating journalists.

The judge at Westminster Magistrates' Court was forced to temporarily call a halt to the plea hearing after Goddard's supporters in the public gallery began calling Remain-supporting MP Anna Soubry - an alleged victim in the Goddard case - a Nazi.

Judge Kenneth Grant temporarily adjourned the case at Westminster Magistrates' Court 15 minutes into the hearing after several people in the public gallery began shouting about Brexit, made derogatory comments about Ms Soubry, and chanted: "Shame on you."

Supporters chanted "Soubry is a Nazi," commented on the perceived severity of his bail conditions by telling the judge that Goddard "is not a terrorist, you know", and said a police officer briefly present in court would be "better off fighting knife crime".

James Goddard was greeted by supporters at court - Credit: Ben Cawthra/LNP
James Goddard was greeted by supporters at court Credit: Ben Cawthra/LNP

The hearing resumed to inform Goddard of his bail conditions, but became chaotic again soon after as the defendant left the dock complaining to the judge that he could not get a fair trial.

One female journalist, who asked not to be named, said she complained to the courts service and to the police after she was "intimidated" by supporters as she attempted to cover the case.

She said Goddard identified her as a journalist who had covered the yellow vests protests, with court officials being told by his supporters not to let her into the hearing.

The reporter said she was called "vile" and "scum of the earth", and has been told by her editor that she will not cover any further cases involving Goddard due to concerns for her safety.

A spokesman for Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) said: "The safety and security of all court users is our priority and we're deeply concerned to hear of intimidating behaviour at Westminster Magistrates' Court this morning.

"We apologise to all those affected and are urgently investigating what happened. This sort of behaviour will not be tolerated."

Drunk driver who killed three accused of being 'Isil terrorist'

The protest inside the Attorney General’s office related to the deaths of three teenagers who were killed when a motorist ploughed into them in Hayes, West London, last year.

Josh McGuinness, George Wilkinson, both 16, and Harry Rice, 17, were killed instantly when Jaynesh Chudasama, a car hire worker, hit them after clipping a kerb.

The tragic case has become a cause celebre among far right activists who claim the Asian motorist, who reached a speed of 71mph, was an Islamist terrorist whose massacre was covered up by police.

The authorities insist it was not terrorism because no group claimed responsibility and Chudasama is an Indian Hindu. And, while the consumption of alcohol is forbidden in the Islamic faith, Chudasama was two-and-a-half times the legal drink drive limit at the time of the crash.

Chudasama, from Hayes, pleaded guilty last year to three counts of causing death by dangerous driving. He was jailed for 13 years, a sentence later cut to 10-and-a-half years at the Court of Appeal.

Tracy Blackwell, mother of Josh McGuinness, is very active in the “yellow vests” and was understood to have been at the demonstration inside the Attorney General’s offices.