Man learnt of Everard vigil conviction from news reporton July 26, 2022 at 5:30 pm

- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -

Postal delays meant Kevin Godin-Prior missed a notice to prosecute and he was convicted in his absence.

Sarah Everard vigilImage source, PA Wire

A man accused of breaking Covid-19 restrictions by attending a vigil for Sarah Everard says he heard of his conviction “from a news report”.

Kevin Godin-Prior, 68, from Manchester, told a court postal delays meant he was sent a notice of prosecution two days after the deadline to respond.

He was convicted in his absence under the Single Justice Procedure on 1 June.

The conviction has now been dropped after an appeal against it and Mr Godin-Prior pleaded not guilty.

He is one of six people prosecuted by the Met Police following the event on 13 March last year.

A total of nine fixed penalty notices were issued following the vigil – two were paid and another dropped.

‘Prosecuted without knowing’

Hundreds attended an unofficial vigil for Ms Everard on Clapham Common in March 2021 after she was kidnapped, raped and murdered by then Met officer Wayne Couzens.

Mr Godin-Prior was accused of participating in a gathering of more than two people in a public outdoor place in a Tier 4 area in March 2021.

He, Dania Al-Obeid, 27, and Ben Wheeler, 21, both from London, were ordered to pay a £220 fine, £100 in court costs and a £34 victim surcharge at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

But Mr Godin-Prior appeared at the same court on Tuesday to make a statutory declaration – a way of appealing against a magistrates’ conviction if it occurred without the defendant’s knowledge.

Sarah Everard vigil

Image source, PA Wire

Appearing via video link, Mr Godin-Prior told the court that due to postal issues he received a notice of prosecution two days after the deadline to respond.

He added that a request to move the proceedings to a local court in Manchester due to his ill health, where he intended to plead not guilty, was not responded to by authorities.

“I am requesting it to be reopened because I had no opportunity to respond to my case,” Mr Godin-Prior said.

Ben Stuttard, defending, said Mr Godin-Prior was “prosecuted without knowing it” and “convicted in absence”.

Magistrate Dr Lynn Gailey tossed out the conviction, reopened the case and gave Mr Godin-Prior the opportunity to plea, to which he responded “not guilty”.

Prosecutor Jen Gatland asked the court to list Mr Godin-Prior for trial on 14 to 16 November alongside Ms Al Obeid, while a case management hearing ahead of the trial was scheduled for 23 September at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

Presentational grey line

Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hellobbclondon@bbc.co.uk

Related Internet Links

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
- Advertisement -

Discover

Sponsor

Latest

Imran Khan: Pakistan PM on brink as confidence vote loomson April 8, 2022 at 11:28 pm

Pakistan's prime minister warns that if he is ousted, he won't recognise an opposition government.Image source, EPAPakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan has warned that...

The Germany striker whose name means failure – and how he became a successon December 23, 2021 at 12:01 am

Frank Mill is known in Germany as the man behind the 'miss of the century'. But this charismatic ex-striker has plenty more to say.

Sri Lanka human rights: UK seeks new UN resolution on abuseson February 23, 2021 at 12:06 am

The resolution calls for human rights abusers in the bloody civil war to be held to account.The resolution calls for human rights abusers in...

Covid: London’s Metropolitan Line closed after staff pinged by NHS appon July 17, 2021 at 3:09 pm

Control room staff on the Metropolitan Line are isolating after being sent isolation alerts.image copyrightReutersA London Underground line has been suspended due to staff...

Nato: Ukraine asks for ‘weapons, weapons, weapons’on April 7, 2022 at 10:47 am

Kyiv's foreign minister renews the plea as Nato meets to discuss military aid for Ukraine.Image source, AFPUkraine says it urgently needs more weapons from...