Linda Bellos and Venice Allan at Westminster magistrates court on 26th

[howonearthdidwegethere]

Are people planning to attend?

en-gb.facebook.com/events/303482357125787/

Confused as to legal status of this prosecution. Can anyone clarify? Exactly what decision was made?

I thought it had been thrown out due to it being brought outside of the timeline for prosecution (or whatever the correct legal phrasing for that is)?

I am not a lawyer but as I understand it transactivists asked the CPS to prosecute Linda Bellos for threatening violence, possibly for a hate crime, after viewing the live stream from a We Need To Talk meeting a few months ago. The CPS said no.

Now an activist called Giuliana Kendal has taken out a private prosecution against Linda and also against Venice Allan, who organised the meeting and the livestreaming.

The judge today referred it to the CPS to decide whether to continue with the case. I would therefore assume it won't go any further, unless there is new evidence produced.

Does that sound about right?

Loved this one

Great to see David Davies there too - puts Labour politicians to shame

And women MPs?!

Lovely sunny day, interesting people and, seemingly, a good outcome.

Is there any footage of Giuliana or did they get to sneak out of a back door because of all those dangerous women who might hurt them with words?

TigerDrankAllTheWaterInTheTap

But presumably the judge already knew that the CPS had kicked it out once.

Perhaps, this is his only recourse. He is not going to try it on the basis of it not being CPS sanctioned?

Confused. Thrown out because out of time or with cps for review?
I want to know!!

I find it interesting how little support Giuliano seems to have? No crowdfunded shit hot lawyers, no protestors outside. Just Harrop tweeting "flowers for Giuliano" which sounds like they have died Thursday.

Wrong side of history my arse is my new favourite saying.

Leeds Spinners

Absolutely stunning!

Where can I buy a suffrage handkerchief?

I need one.

I was really surprised there was nobody there supporting Giuliana. Maybe even the TRAs realise how ridiculous it is (ha). Or more likely they hadn't got out of bed by that time in the morning.

hackmum Maybe they started a crowd funder for taxis so the stunning & brave trans-femmes could get there safely but didn't manage to raise enough cash...

Solidarity with Linda & Venice.

arranfan DH says that if the case is thrown out again by the CPS then that is pretty much it. There could be a lot of trouble if the person attempted a private prosecution again.

Tbh I don't really know why the hearing happened at all. I assume the Judge could have refused to hear the case based on the evidence (or lack thereof) and batted it back to the CPS at an earlier stage.

A massive waste of everyone's time but perhaps that was always the intention.

Not an expert, but I understand the CPS have the power to take over a prosecution, either of their own volition or on the application of the parties, either in order to continue with it or to discontinue it.

If it was discontinued, I don't know if there is anything to bar mounting another private prosecution. But if another prosecution did get off the starting blocks, I think it would be vulnerable to being struck out at an early stage as an abuse of process.

And please, please can someone contact Leeds Spinners and print up some 'Wrong Side Of History My Arse' T shirts.

I so want one.

Yes to the T-shirt

I was there it was a fantastic morning. So many cleaver articulate women.

Please tell me what happened in court! David Davies is tweeting that they were charged 😭but if the cps takes over and discontinued it will preserve my faith in British justice

Great turn out for Linda and Venice. Well done those of you who were able to get there.

I want a Leeds Spinners Tshirt!

Also tempted to whip out the sewing machine and create my own masterpiece. But what to put on it? Women don't have willies? Biology is not bigotry? Possibilities are endless

It was referred back to the CPS. Given the CPS declined to prosecute in the first place it's probably dead in the water. Lots of women there

Well, I am glad the judge was having none of the nonsense about items of clothing.

It is harassment of women - and abusive men have used the (family) courts to good effect historically to harrass women.

I too would buy the Leeds Spinner T-shirt - excellent!