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Race hate defendant walks free from court
FREE: Tony Bamber
A man accused of distributing leaflets intending to stir up religious hatred has been found not guilty by a jury.
Anthony Bamber, 54, of Greenbank Street, Preston, was cleared of seven counts at Preston Crown Court yesterday.
Mr Bamber, a former part-time lecturer of politics and economics at the University of Central Lancashire, signed a cross on his chest and looked to the ceiling as the unanimous verdicts were read out.
The former Merchant Navy seaman, who left school at 14, had acted as his own defence lawyer during the trial which lasted just under a week.
Leaving the courtroom, he said: “I’m feeling great”.
He then headed off to celebrate his acquittal with supporters whose cheers could be heard through the court.
Mr Bamber, a BNP activist, admitted writing and distributing the literature entitled The Heroin Trade and was charged last year.
He was responsible for leading a campaign which sent up to 30,000 of the leaflets to people in areas including Eccleston, Barnoldswick, Lytham, Manchester and Harrogate between late 2007 and November 19 2008.
Several people contacted police after receiving the leaflet, but yesterday the jury agreed the words used were not threatening and did not incite religious hatred.
Summing up the case before the jury retired to reach its verdict, Judge Pamela Badley said: “We are concerned with events as simple and everyday as a piece of paper fluttering through a letterbox, in fact thousands of letterboxes.
“Leafleting is a means of disseminating ideas is as old as the hills.”
She reminded the jurors of their task to consider if the words were threatening, not abusive, insulting or upsetting.
She added: “Mr Bamber says that his intention was to publicise his campaign with no intention to stir up religious hatred.
“You must be sure that when he did the act of distribution, he intended to stir up religious hatred.”
Det Supt Neil Hunter, of Lancashire Constabulary’s Force Major Investigation Team, said: “While we are disappointed with today’s decision we accept the decision of the court. We have worked very closely with the Crown Prosecution Service throughout this inquiry and careful consideration was given before any decision to charge was made.That decision was based upon both the nature of the leaflets and the persistent nature of their distribution.
“Notwithstanding today’s decision, we condemn the contents of the leaflets and their distribution which we are concerned has the potential to damage community cohesion.
“We continue to work very closely with all our communities and partner agencies around community cohesion issues and we will take positive action against others who engage in such activity.”
The BNP has asked us to clarify that although Mr Bamber was a BNP activist, the leaflets at the centre of these court proceedings were not in any way connected or condoned by the party.
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Weather for Preston
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
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Temperature: -6 C to 4 C
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Wind direction: South east
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