Politicians holding surgeries to meet with voters

Politicians holding surgeries to meet with voters always had an ear cocked for potential ‘foolishness’ Labour MP Diane Abbott told a court today.

(Mon)

The member for Hackney North and Stoke Newington witnessed an alleged robbery yards from the door of her office.

She told a jury at London’s Southwark Crown Cour she was alerted by raised voices at the Old Fire Station, Stoke Newington, where she holds surgeries to meet with constituents.

‘If you hold a surgery in Stoke Newington you have always got your ears open for any foolishness outside,’ said Ms Abbott.

Asked if it was ‘safer than Cheltenham’, she replied: ‘Yes.

You have always got your ears open.

It has never happened, thank goodness, but you have always got your ears open because things can get heated.

‘

The Cheltenham reference followed the Samurai sword attack that left Liberal Democrat Nigel Jones needing more than 60 stitches to slash wounds, and the 51-year-old’s friend and assistant Andrew Pennington dead from multiple stab wounds.

Ms Abbott was giving evidence against Tyrone Campbell, 18, who is accused of punching 38-year-old civil servant Tahir Khan and stealing his mobile ‘phone.

The teenager, of Leswin Road, Stoke Newington, denies robbery on July 30 last year, but admits a charge of common assault on the victim’s father, 66-year-old Abdul Khan.

Mr Ian Mason, prosecuting, said the father and son had been going to meet their MP.

As they got out of the car the older man appeared to be struck by a ‘lad’ on a bicycle, and warned the youngster to be more careful.

He said suddenly Mr Khan senior was pushed from behind and fell to the ground.

The pair were confronted by Campbell who accused the older man of assaulting his younger brother.

The pair ignored the defendant but were again confronted by him outside the MP’s surgery.

‘Tahir Khan had his mobile ‘phone in his hand and was about to telephone the police because he was concerned about the incident,’ said the barrister.

‘And because of the shouting, about the same time, Ms Abbott came out of her office and onto the landing.

‘It is alleged the defendant punched Tahir Khan to the side of the face and grabbed the telephone and ran off.

‘

The MP told the jury: ‘They were all shouting at once but that is not unusual because when people are waiting outside they are all quite stressed.

‘I thought it was a normal argument about who was to go in next.

I walked towards them to try and resolve the matter, because normally I find if I go outside, people calm down.

‘

She said Campbell leant towards Mr Khan and snatch the mobile, saying ‘I will have that.

‘

She said at first there appeared to be a ‘verbal stand-off’ between the sides.

She said the teenager appeared to take the ‘phone ‘on impulse.

‘

Ms Abbott said she neither saw or heard a punch, or ‘see the aftermath of a punch.

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Campbell claims he went to remonstrate with the older man, accusing him of giving his brother ‘a clip round the ear.

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He followed the two men inside demanding an apology.

He denies punching the younger man but he accepts taking the ‘phone.

The defendant maintains he did not intend to steal it but had told the two men: ‘I will take that until I get an apology.

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Mr Tahir Khan told the court he had ‘panicked’ and got the phone out to ring police because they were being followed by a ‘lynchmob.

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He added: ‘It was a panic situation.

.

.

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it was quite scary.

I was punched and the phone was taken from my hand, snatched.

‘

The trial continues tomorrow.

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