Russell and Carol - hayle and hearty

Another judgement against the police

Andrew Wood: A welcome victory for democracy

The court of appeal ruled

The court of appeal ordered the Metropolitan police to destroy photographs its surveillance teams had taken of arms-trade campaigner Andrew Wood, ruling that they breached his rights under the European convention on human rights.

The Judges said

Today at the court of appeal in London two out of three judges agreed there had been a "disproportionate interference in the human right to privacy".

Lord Justice Dyson said: "The retention by the police of photographs taken of persons who have not committed an offence, and who are not even suspected of having committed an offence, is always a serious matter."

Lord Collins said: "There was a very substantial police presence … when I first read the papers on this appeal, I was struck by the chilling effect on the exercise of lawful rights such a deployment would have."

I wonder what position this puts all the hours of videotape of protesters police collected at demonstrations last year?