Anti-vaccination protester jailed for contempt at Chester Crown Court

Philip McLoughlin, 41, of Blacon Point Road, Chester, appeared at the courtroom escorted by police officers on Friday, February 11, having previously been charged with an offence of assaulting a police officer on June 14, 2021.

But McLoughlin, who represented himself, refused to get in the dock in the courtroom, or to enter a plea to the charge, claiming he had "not been charged with anything whatsoever" and that police documents were "bogus".

Philip McLoughin was sentenced to seven days in prison for contempt of court. 

He also claimed police had assaulted him during the June 2021 incident, understood to have happened during an anti-vaccination rally.

McLoughlin attempted to 'approach the bench' to show Judge Michael Leeming a bundle of documents, which unrepresented defendants are not allowed to do.

After continually interrupting the judge during the plea and trial preparation hearing, the defendant was found in contempt by the judge and jailed for seven days.

About 15 people had joined McLoughlin for the hearing, with only two allowed in with him due to social distancing measures in place in the courtroom. The remainder waited outside, with several police and security officers guarding the court entrance.

Police gather outside Chester Crown Court where supporters of Philip McLoughlin are informed he has been jailed for seven days.

During the hearing, Judge Leeming advised McLoughlin to seek representation from a solicitor to put forward a defence case.

After McLoughlin ignored the arraignment plea to the charge of assaulting a police officer, referring again to his bundle of documents, Judge Leeming said: "I will take that as a not guilty plea and will set a date for trial."

An increasingly irate McLoughlin continued to protest, and Judge Leeming said: "I find you in contempt. Police, arrest him."

As McLoughlin was being handcuffed, he said: "That's battery, this is criminal, get off. Get off my paperwork.

"There is no justice, this is criminal."

He continued his vocal protests as he was led into the dock and down into the cells.

The judge continued with the remainder of the hearing, saying the defendant was "given every opportunity to sit quietly, but he declined," and the defendant had waived the right to be arraigned.

McLoughlin was jailed for seven days and will then be out on unconditional bail, with his trial due to take place at Chester Crown Court on July 11, with an estimated trial length of two days.

The judge added he was unable, due to the defendant's behaviour, to provide him with a warning that if he failed to attend, the trial could take place in his absence.

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