Birmingham pub bombings: Campaigners on trial over lockdown memorial rally

Julie Hambleton was issued with the penalty notice after an event to mark the anniversary of the bombings

A judge has suggested campaigners fined for breaching lockdown while commemorating the Birmingham pub bombings were "an easy target".

Julie Hambleton, Kevin Gormley, John Porter and Michael Lutwyche are on trial for refusing to pay fines after the memorial rally in November 2020.

They deny wrongdoing at the event, held during the second Covid-19 lockdown.

District Judge Shamim Qureshi compared their case with a gathering in a city park where no fines were issued.

On its first day, the trial head how the group of campaigners from the Justice For The 21 Group held a memorial motor rally on 21 November 2020 to mark the 46th anniversary of the bombings, culminating in a demonstration outside the West Midlands Police headquarters at Lloyd House.

Prosecutors said there was a "clear and deliberate" breach of Covid-19 lockdown rules when the defendants, all from Birmingham, alongside others, exited their vehicles.

Ms Hambleton, 58, of Crossway Lane, whose sister Maxine was killed in the attacks, is charged alongside Mr Gormley, 53, of Beacon Road; Mr Porter, 59, of Corner Way and Mr Lutwyche, 54, of Hales Grove.

Giving evidence, Ch Insp Richard Cox, who encountered the group earlier in the day when the convoy stopped at a memorial on Bromsgrove Street, estimated between 40 and 60 people were gathered there.

He told Ms Hambleton: "The number of people gathering outside of vehicles is a concern so if we could get people back in vehicles, that would be great."

She replied: "OK, I will do that."

Supporters of Justice For The 21 gathered outside court

The court heard police had already raised concerns about issuing fines and the force acknowledged they failed to follow a "four E's" policy, to engage, explain, encourage and enforce, with the group that day.

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An internal review later that month raised concerns about a "lack of challenge of the four Es" from Ch Insp Cox. However, in court he said he "didn't think [a formal dispersal order] would be well received".

Twenty-one people were killed in two blasts on 21 November 1974, including Ms Hambleton's sister Maxine

The court also heard that none of the accused had been spoken to directly by police when the rally reached Lloyd House.

Addressing Ch Insp Cox, the judge said: "I'll tell you how it looks... it seems a bit of an easy target, so was there any need to prosecute in this case?"

Ch Insp Cox defended the prosecution, saying: "A decision was made above me that it was appropriate, proportionate and necessary."

The trial continues.