Sallie Bennett Jenkins QC Secures Acquittal in First Prosecution of a Far Right Organisation Since World War II
Sallie Bennett-Jenkins QC leading, represented GH who was charged with being a member of a proscribed organisation, namely National Action. At its height, National Action had a membership of up to 100 young white men, drawn from universities. Dressed in black skull masks, they would gather for demonstrations, waving banners and making Nazi salutes.
GH was one of 6 defendants that were investigated by police for their involvement in a plot to murder the Labour MP Rosie Cooper and a female police officer and allegedly belonging to the far-right group.
Evidence focused on the ‘mindset’ and beliefs of the defendants and their proven membership of the organisation before proscription (which occurred in the wake of the killing of Jo Cox which the group supported and referred to as a ‘small victory’) as a platform to assert that they continued to be members after proscription, making it the first extreme right-wing group to be banned since the second world war.
Following a 6 week trial at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Jay, Sallie’s client was acquitted.
Sallie was instructed by Neil Heffey of DDE Law.
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