Anti-Lockdown Protesters Who Shouted at BBC Journalist Sentenced

Martin Hockridge leaving court after receiving a 12-month community order for verbally abusing BBC journalist Nick Watt in June last year, at Westminster Magistrates' Court, London, on Aug. 30, 2022. (Stefan Rousseau/PA Media)

A group of anti-lockdown protesters have been sentenced after verbally abusing a BBC journalist during a protest last year.

Djazia Chaib-Eddour, 44, Martin Hockridge, 58, Alexander Peat, 34, Christopher Aitken, 62, and Gary Purnell, 45, denied using threatening, abusive, or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause harassment, alarm, or distress, but were found guilty earlier this month following a trial.

They were part of a group that gathered in Westminster on June 14, 2021 to protest against the UK government’s extension of COVID-19 restrictions in England by four weeks.

Footage shared on social media showed demonstrators shouting abuse in the face of Nick Watt, political editor of BBC2’s “Newsnight” programme, as he was chased and called a traitor near Downing Street, while wearing a BBC lanyard.

District Judge Louisa Cieciora handed Purnell, Peat, and Hockridge 12-month community orders, with a requirement to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, while Chaib-Eddour was given a 12-month community order, with a requirement to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and 20 hours of rehabilitation.

They were each ordered to pay a total of £395 ($460) in costs and other charges and slapped with an indefinite restraining order not to contact Watt.

The judge also issued an arrest warrant for Aitken, who did not attend the hearing, while Joseph Olswang, 40, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing and was sentenced to 20 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 18 months.

‘Extremely Unpleasant’

“This was an extremely unpleasant incident in which each of you used abusive words and threatening behaviour towards Mr. Watt,” the judge said.

“This was committed against somebody who was providing a service to the public, even if you did not agree that service was being performed to the standard it should have been,” she added.

Prosecutor Sudara Weerasena said on Tuesday the reporter had faced further intimidation after attending court for the trial.

“Having given evidence in this particular case, he was intimidated leaving the court,” she said. “The prosecution advocate had to be escorted out of the building by police.”

But the judge said the allegations could not be “laid at the door of any of the defendants,” who were still in court at the time.

In a victim impact statement, Watt said he was “shocked and alarmed” at the time of the incident, and felt he was “in immense danger.”

He said he has been the subject of death threats on “conspiracy theorist forums” and has concerns “my safety can no longer be guaranteed.”

“Whilst not from identified suspects in this case, they were clearly inspired by the incident,” he said, adding, “My family and I found them very distressing.”

PA Media contributed to this report.