Two Fathers 4 Justice campaigners have been given a suspended sentence

Rye & Battle Observer

Fathers spared jail over Harman roof protest

Published Date: 18 December 2008

Two Fathers 4 Justice campaigners, including one from Herefordshire, who scaled Harriet Harman's roof dressed as superheroes have been given a suspended sentence.

Anthony Ashby, 43, from Ledbury, and Nigel Ace, 40, were also banned from climbing on any roof other than their own without express permission from the householder.

Leader of the Commons Ms Harman and her husband, Jack Dromey, were woken at just after 6am on July 9 this year by the pair, who were dressed as Spiderman and Batman, City of Westminster Magistrates' Court heard..

The court heard that Ms Harman and her husband installed extra security after the incidents and no longer felt as secure in their home.

Ashby, a painter and decorator from Skippe Close, Ledbury, denied the charge but, representing himself during the trial, he told the court he had no defence. He was given a five-week sentence suspended for two years.

Ace, a former sales manager from Deer Mead, Clevedon, in Somerset, admitted disorderly behaviour likely to cause harassment and failing to come down from the roof when asked to do so by police. He was given a four-week sentence suspended for two years.

Both men were ordered to obey a curfew between 8pm and 5am until January 5. They must also each pay £100 compensation to the victims and £100 in costs.

On Thursday, Ashby told the court: "I wanted to exercise my right to protest while the family laws in this country are unjust."

But the court also heard that Ace now realised that it was wrong to stage a demonstration on the roof of a private house and is no longer a member of F4J.



Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2008, All Rights Reserved.

Wednesday, 17th December 2008

Father guilty over Harman roof protest

Published Date: 17 December 2008

A Fathers 4 Justice campaigner who dressed as Batman to invade the roof of Harriet Harman's London home has been warned he could face a prison sentence.

The protest by Anthony Ashby, 43, was "very distressing" to the house's inhabitants and forced the Leader of the Commons to move out not, knowing when her family could return home, a judge heard.


Ashby, a self-employed painter and decorator from Skippe Close, Ledbury, Herefordshire, denied disorderly behaviour likely to cause harassment and failing to come down from the roof when told to do so by police.



District Judge Emma Arbuthnot, sitting at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court, found him guilty of both charges concerning the home of the Labour MP for Camberwell and Peckham.


Judge Arbuthnot told him: "I'm leaving all options open. I haven't decided what I'm going to do with you yet, I haven't excluded custody."



Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2008, All Rights Reserved.

• Last Updated: 17 December 2008 3:31 AM
• Source: Press Association
• Location: The Press Association Newsdesk

Grantham Journal

Father to learn fate over Harman roof protest

Published Date: 17 December 2008

A Fathers 4 Justice campaigner from Somerset who admitted dressing as Spiderman to invade Harriet Harman's roof will learn his fate later this week.

Nigel Ace, 40, a former sales manager from Deer Mead, Clevedon, admitted disorderly behaviour likely to cause harassment and failing to come down from the roof of the London home when told to do so by police.


He was joined in the protest by Anthony Ashby, 43, a self-employed painter and decorator from Skippe Close, Ledbury, Herefordshire, who had denied the charges.


But District Judge Emma Arbuthnot, sitting at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court, found him guilty of both charges.


She told him: "I'm leaving all options open. I haven't decided what I'm going to do with you yet. I haven't excluded custody."


The protest was "very distressing" to the house's inhabitants and forced the Leader of the House of Commons to move out not knowing when her family could return home, a judge heard.


Ashby, who dressed at Batman, argued in court that he had not distressed the politician and her husband, the union leader Jack Dromey.


He said: "I don't think he was distressed at all - probably annoyed, but not distressed. Like I say, he's a man of the unions, so he's a stronger man than that."


Georgina Nicholas, prosecuting, said Ace and Ashby "flatly refused" to come down from the roof, turning their backs on police and ignoring officers.


The court heard Ace told police Ms Harman needed to engage in debate, saying: "She's ignoring us and that is why we are here again. If not we want Gordon Brown to come down - no messing about."



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