SECURITY GUARD ELROY PALMER ACCUSED OF ROBBING A N

SECURITY GUARD ELROY PALMER ACCUSED OF ROBBING A NEWSPAPER
PHOTOGRAPHER DURING THE BRIXTON RIOTS NOW FACES A RETRIAL.

IT WAS ALLEGED THAT PALMER, 19, ROBBED FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
DAVID HODGE, 29, OF HIS CAMERA.

BUT ON THURSDAY AN OLD BAILEY JURY
FAILED TO AGREE ON A VERDICT AND THE JUDGE ORDERED A RETRIAL.

DURING THE TRIAL PALMER WAS ACQUITTED OF THE MANSLAUGHTER OF
MR HODGE, OF MILE END ROAD, STEPNEY, ON THE DIRECTIONS OF THE COMMON
SERJEANT OF LONDON JUDGE THOMAS PIGOT, QC.

MR HODGE WAS SET UPON AND BEATEN BY A GANG OF UP TO A DOZEN
BLACK YOUTHS WHILE TAKING PICTURES OF LOOTERS DURING THE RIOTS.

HE WAS RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL WITHIN 48 HOURS AFTER DOCTORS
COULD FIND NO SERIOUS INJURIES.

HE THEN WENT HOME TO HIS PARENTS IN
AMERSHAM, BUCKS.

BUT AFTER SUFFERING ACUTE PAIN AND DROWSINESS HE WAS RE
HOSPITALISED AND UNDERWENT BRAIN SURGERY.

THREE WEEKS AFTER THE
ATTACK HE FELL INTO A COMA AND DIED.

MRS BARBARA MILLS, QC, PROSECUTING, ALLEGED THAT PALMER MADE
OFF WITH MR HODGE’S VALUABLE NIKON CAMERA.

THE JURY HEARD THAT PALMER SHOWED THE STOLEN CAMERA TO A
NIGHBOUR AND TOLD THE MAN THAT HE TOOK IT FROM A PHOTOGRAPHER WHO WAS
POINTING IT AT HIM AND TAKING PICTURES.

PALMER, OF EFFRA PARADE, BRIXTON, INSISTED HE STOLE THE CAMERA
FROM ANOTHER BLACK YOUTH WHO HAD TAKEN IT FROM MR HODGE.

HE WAS REMANDED IN CUSTODY.

ENDS.

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