Policeman cleared of giving false evidence over protester

Greater Manchester Police constable Alan Glover, 31, was said to have provided false or misleading evidence which resulted in Unite Against Fascism campaigner Alan Clough being charged with public order offences.

Mr Clough, 64, was at a demonstration against the English Defence League in Victoria Square in Bolton, Greater Manchester, 
in March 2010 when Glover arrested him, York Crown Court heard.

The Pc was alleged to have later made false statements relating to the arrest in which he said he had seen Mr Clough hit his colleague, Inspector Robert Cantrell.

The court heard that, since then, new “enhanced video footage” has surfaced which sheds more light on the physical positioning of the police and protesters during the demonstration.

Explaining to the court why the Crown Prosecution Service decided to offer no evidence against Glover, prosecutor Paul Mitchell said the video showed Mr Cantrell during the demonstration facing Mr Clough with Glover behind the inspector at a distance of about three or four yards.

“At that point on the enhanced video it’s plain that Cantrell makes a sudden movement back with his head,” Mr Mitchell said.

“After his head moves back, Mr Clough’s hand is seen raised close to Mr Cantrell’s head.

“My own view is that Mr Clough’s hand is not in a fist; it is open, but it appears he’s making a shooing gesture with the back of his hand.

“Considering it from Glover’s viewpoint, it appears to the Crown that what Glover would have seen is that backwards movement of Cantrell’s head, followed by a flash of white against dark background, which is Mr Clough’s hand.”