*Only in Rutland Could you have an election count before the Polling Day!
Published Rutland Times on 13/06/2013 13:36
A former Oakham town councillor is facing a four-day trial over allegations he harassed three people, including a police officer.
Martin Brookes, 47, of Willow Crescent, Oakham, appeared at Loughborough Magistrates Court yesterday (Wednesday), after denying eight charges of harassment without violence at a previous hearing.
At yesterday’s hearing, Brookes denied two additional charges of harassment and stalking against a Rutland County Council employee, while four of the charges previously brought against him were dropped.
The allegations relate to the time between January and June this year when Brookes is accused of having made silent phone calls, waited outside a former colleague’s house and posted malicious content on his blog and on social networking sites such as Twitter.
Brookes has been granted conditional bail until the trial, which is due to take place at Leicester Magistrates Court on September 23 to 27.
The conditions include not contacting any of the alleged victims, not going near their home addresses and not going to any Rutland County Council or Oakham Town Council meetings.
However, the court granted Brookes permission to attend meeting at Rutland County Council this afternoon.
He is standing as an independent candidate in the Ketton ward by-election and is allowed to go to a candidate briefing meeting at the council offices.
*Brookes had asked the court for permission to attend the election count on June 26, but magistrates refused his request.
He has also been ordered not to attend events at Oakham Castle and Rutland County Museum as part of Oakham Festival this month.
Brookes is also banned from taking photographs or publishing images online of any of the alleged victims.
Published Rutland Times on 13/06/2013 13:36
A former Oakham town councillor is facing a four-day trial over allegations he harassed three people, including a police officer.
Martin Brookes, 47, of Willow Crescent, Oakham, appeared at Loughborough Magistrates Court yesterday (Wednesday), after denying eight charges of harassment without violence at a previous hearing.
At yesterday’s hearing, Brookes denied two additional charges of harassment and stalking against a Rutland County Council employee, while four of the charges previously brought against him were dropped.
The allegations relate to the time between January and June this year when Brookes is accused of having made silent phone calls, waited outside a former colleague’s house and posted malicious content on his blog and on social networking sites such as Twitter.
Brookes has been granted conditional bail until the trial, which is due to take place at Leicester Magistrates Court on September 23 to 27.
The conditions include not contacting any of the alleged victims, not going near their home addresses and not going to any Rutland County Council or Oakham Town Council meetings.
However, the court granted Brookes permission to attend meeting at Rutland County Council this afternoon.
He is standing as an independent candidate in the Ketton ward by-election and is allowed to go to a candidate briefing meeting at the council offices.
*Brookes had asked the court for permission to attend the election count on June 26, but magistrates refused his request.
He has also been ordered not to attend events at Oakham Castle and Rutland County Museum as part of Oakham Festival this month.
Brookes is also banned from taking photographs or publishing images online of any of the alleged victims.
