25.05.1995

The Queen and the litter lout

ONCE UPON a time Queen Elizabeth visited her loyal subjects of Chatham, only for Gill Emerson of Gravesend to throw a handful of seditious leaflets at the royal person’s limousine. The state decided to exact a penalty. But Gill’s only crime was to litter the road. It should be noted that the state and Gill have crossed swords in court before, leaving the local magistrates licking their wounds and thirsting for revenge.

Completely at variance with the triviality of the offence, the court imported a stipendiary magistrate to replace the normal bench, and the Crown Prosecution Service appointed a barrister to prosecute the case. Gill did not attend the court hearing on Monday May 15, having pleaded not guilty by letter. She knew the magistrates had no regard for democratic rights and expected a fixed penalty fine.

The court had other ideas. She was found guilty in her absence under the Environment Protection Act. Then her letter was treated as contempt of court and she was arrested and brought to court. The charge of contempt was dropped, but she was in court for her sentence.

Afterwards Gill commented, “Seeing as they could have fined me £4,000, I suppose I was lucky to get off with £700. I haven’t got it, so I cannot pay.”

Gill has no illusions about the undemocratic nature of the legal system nor its vindictiveness.

“I am being punished for a legitimate protest. The only rights we can rely on are the ones we can defend,” she said. “We need to organise to dump the whole rotten system - monarchy and all.”

Phil Kent