Piers Corbyn avoids fine after being found GUILTY of breaking coronavirus restrictions at anti-lockdown protest in Hyde Park in May

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Piers Corbyn has been found guilty of breaking coronavirus laws during an anti-lockdown protest at London's Hyde Park.

District Judge Sam Goozee found the charge proven that he breached coronavirus rules during a gathering at Speakers' Corner on May 16.

Corbyn, brother of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, wrote in his notepad as the judge delivered his verdict following a two-day hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

Returning his decision, the judge said: 'Without the regulations in place, your conduct would have been lawful.

'But the enforcement of regulations was necessary for public health.

'Police took a measured response. You, however, didn't engage with police - police action in arresting you was necessary and proportionate.'

Corbyn was handed an absolute discharge - meaning he will not be fined or face any further punishment - after the judge heard he had spent 12 hours in custody after being arrested.

Prosecutor David Povall described how Corbyn, 73, was a 'poster boy for disparate groups' protesting at the time.

He previously told the court that the gatherings on May 16 featured about 100 or more people and could be characterised as 'anti-lockdown', with those present 'engaged in a protest concerning issues around coronavirus and the coronavirus regulations'.

Mr Povall told the court: 'The Crown submits that the rally or demonstration on May 16 is not one where the court should find there's a reasonable excuse for breaching clear and emphatic regulations that were in force at the time.

'Mr Corbyn was an experienced campaigner... and was simply not prepared to comply with the lawful directions of police officers who were enforcing the law.

'They were left with no option but to arrest him in order to break up that unlawful gathering.'

Defence counsel Ben Cooper QC said the decision to arrest Corbyn was in contravention of his right to protest.

He also cited a tweet from Prime Minister Boris Johnson, responding to anti-racism rallies the following month, that 'people have a right to protest peacefully', and said the police decision to arrest him was 'disproportionate and unnecessary'.

Mr Cooper told the court: 'Mr Corbyn was participating in a gathering, he had reasonable excuse in relation to his right to peaceful protest.

'The crown interfered with his rights in a manner that was disproportionate and unnecessary.'

Corbyn did not give evidence in his defence.

Earlier, Mr Goozee threw out a second charge against the defendant after he ruled the police were wrong to arrest Corbyn hours after he was handed a fixed penalty notice during a second protest at Hyde Park on May 30.

Addressing around two dozen supporters outside the court after the verdict, Corbyn raised his fist in the air and said: 'We've had a tremendous result.'

None of those present were social distancing.  

The court was told earlier that the two gatherings near Speakers Corner in Hyde Park on May 16 and May 30 were attended by 100 or more people. 

Corbyn sat in front of the dock wearing a grey suit, blue shirt and red tie, and jotted down notes as Ben Cooper, QC, claimed his arrest was politically motivated.

Eight members of Corbyn's group, Stand Up X, sat at the back of the socially distanced court to support the controversial weather forecaster while others were told to wait outside.

They refused to stand when District Judge Sam Goozee entered the room at Westminster Magistrates' Court. 

Police body-worn footage shown in court this morning showed the former Labour leader's brother surrounded by enthusiastic supporters at Speakers' Corner on 30 May.

The conspiracy theorist was heard saying 'well thank you for listening officer' as PC Thomas Pearson warned him: 'You need to go home or you will be arrested.'

PC Pearson told the court he was there to 'engage, explain, and encourage' with protestors - and as a last resort, to 'enforce' the law.

'The engagement phase had already taken place,' added the officer.

Mr Cooper asked: 'Is it because of this policy you chose to issue him with a Fixed Penalty Notice?'

'You asked Mr Corbyn to leave, then you moved straight from that to enforcement by issuing him with a Fixed Penalty Notice.'

The officer replied: 'It was almost impossible to explain and encourage because he was using a megaphone - it was difficult to have a conversation.

'I think I explained for a period of time, the reason why he needed to go home.'

Pointing at the footage, the barrister asked: 'Do you hear there that Mr Corbyn is explaining he is waiting for a friend before he can go home?'

PC Pearson replied: 'Yes.'

Mr Cooper said: 'You've seen him picking up his possessions and following your instructions to leave, do you see that?'

The officer replied: 'Mr Corbyn's megaphone at that stage did not work, someone else tried to hand over another megaphone.

'That was him putting his megaphone down.'

Mr Cooper asked: 'Do you hear him saying, I am going to leave?'

PC Pearson replied: 'yes.'

The officer's footage showed a supporter jumping into shot and yelling repeatedly 'I'm inviting him for a coffee' minutes before Corbyn was arrested. 

Mr Cooper told PC Pearson: 'Had you permitted Mr Corbyn to leave with the lady who invited him for a coffee, there would have been no need to arrest him at that stage. He would have simply left.'

The officer replied: 'I don't think he would have.'

Mr Cooper said Corbyn was treated differently to fellow anti-lockdown and BLM protestors 'because he is Jeremy Corbyn's brother'.

The court was told another officer had explained to the weather forecaster that his arrest was 'necessary to protect public health' during the first gathering on May 16.

The activist's lawyers previously told Westminster Magistrates' Court Corbyn was not given a fair chance to leave before being arrested and the incident should never have made it to court.

Last week the court considered dropping the case because police were accused of 'abuse of process' by singling out Corbyn, partly because he was the former Labour leader's brother, on a day when they made no arrests at a much larger Black Lives Matter demonstration.

Corbyn's defence lawyers also asked for the case to be thrown out after accusing prosecutors of 'deliberately misleading' the court over what evidence had been disclosed but the trial went ahead.

The court previously heard how, at the first protest, cops didn't follow the 'four Es' strategy of engaging with a member of the public, explaining the regulations, and encouraging them to go home before enforcing the rules with a fine or arrest.

Instead, body-worn video footage from the arresting officer showed her immediately ordering Corbyn to go home without explaining the restrictions to him.