Sarah Everard vigil: Met Police refused appeal over High Court ruling

The spontaneous vigil that took place instead led to the Met Police being heavily criticised for its actions

The Met Police has again been refused an appeal against a High Court ruling that said it breached the rights of organisers of a Sarah Everard vigil.

The organisers had to cancel the event in south London when the Met said it would be illegal under lockdown laws.

However, hundreds of people attended an unofficial gathering to pay respects to Ms Everard, 33, who was murdered by serving Met officer Wayne Couzens.

Police and some protesters clashed at the Clapham Common vigil in March 2021.

At a two-day hearing at the High Court in January, organisers Jessica Leigh, Anna Birley, Henna Shah and Jamie Klingler, founders of Reclaim These Streets (RTS), argued decisions made by the force in advance of the planned vigil amounted to a breach of their right to freedom of speech and assembly.

They had been told they faced fines of £10,000 each and possible prosecution if the vigil went ahead, which was being planned for an area near to where Ms Everard went missing in Clapham, south London, in March 2021.

In the High Court ruling in March, their claim was upheld by Lord Justice Warby and Mr Justice Holgate, who found that the Met's decisions in the run-up to the event were "not in accordance with the law".

After considering an application on papers - without a hearing - by the Met to challenge the ruling at the Court of Appeal, the judges refused the force permission to bring an appeal in April.

The Met then pursued a further challenge by asking the Court of Appeal to grant permission but that has now been rejected in writing, and the judgment in Leigh vs Metropolitan Police stands.

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• Met PC admits raping and kidnapping Sarah Everard

Dismissing the appeal bid, Lord Justice Holroyde said in a court order he could see "no arguable basis on which it can be said that the [High] Court's decision was wrong".

The decision means the force will not be able to further challenge the High Court ruling.

Reclaim These Streets said it was "thrilled" by the latest decision.

The original judgment was described by their solicitor as "a victory for women".

A Met Police spokesperson said in a statement it was "aware" of the decision. "We will be considering it carefully and will comment further in due course," it added.

The spontaneous vigil that took place led to the force being heavily criticised for its actions - although it went on to be cleared by the police watchdog.

Couzens, 49, was given a whole life sentence at the Old Bailey in September after admitting Ms Everard's kidnap, rape and murder.

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