Alison Saunders, Chief Crown Prosecutor of CPS London, said:
“I have decided that the cases against 109 individuals who were charged after protesting in Fortnum and Mason on 26 March should be discontinued. However, we will continue to pursue the other 30 cases through the judicial process.
“After careful and necessary investigative work by the police to provide the fullest evidential picture, we have reviewed the evidence now available and considered representations made by the defence teams.
“I have concluded that there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for the offence of aggravated trespass against all the defendants, however, in discontinuing these cases I have considered whether a prosecution is necessary in the public interest. I have decided that it is not, taking into account the following factors from the Code for Crown Prosecutors:
• that this was a single incident;
• that they have not been involved in similar offences previously and that they played only a minor role in the offending behaviour;
• that if these defendants had been convicted the court would be likely to impose only a nominal penalty.
“The police investigation was able to identify whether these factors were present for each defendant. It was only after such an investigation that these factors could be applied.
“We have warned those whose cases have been discontinued that this reasoning may not apply in future if they go on to commit other similar offences.
“We have notified the court and the defendants’ representatives of this decision.”
