Piers Corbyn (Victoria Jones/PA)
(Picture: PA Wire)Leading anti-vaxxer Piers Corbyn will stand trial over claims NHS staff were branded “murderers” in a protest at a south London hospital, a court has heard.
The 74-year-old is accused with David Burridge, 44, of causing a nuisance at a vaccination clinic within Guy’s Hospital on January 18 this year.
The two men appeared in the dock at Westminster magistrates court on Thursday to deny the charge, and will now stand trial in May.
“The defendants were somewhat abusive to members of staff, calling them murderers”, said prosecutor Luke Staton, asking for an order preventing Corbyn and Burridge from personally quizzing the NHS workers during the trial.
When the allegation was aired, Corbyn called out: “That’s a lie, we said nothing”, and added that he objected to “telling lies in open court”.
Corbyn is already facing a catalogue of criminal charges over anti-lockdown protests and demonstrations against the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine.
In the latest allegation brought by the CPS, he and Burridge are both charged with causing a nuisance or disturbance on NHS premises without reasonable excuse.
“While on NHS premises, namely Guy’s hospital, other than for the purpose of obtaining medical advice, treatment or care for yourself, caused, without reasonable excuse caused a nuisance or disturbance to an National Health Service staff member who was working there or was otherwise there in connection with work and refused without reasonable excuse to leave the premises when asked to do so by a constable”, reads the charge.
District Judge Daniel Sternberg confirmed in the court that “the defence is going to be they had a reasonable excuse.”
After his arrest in the January 18 incident, Corbyn posted videos on his Facebook page, including one showing him being released from custody as supporters chanted “resist, defy, do not comply”.
Speaking to the camera, Corbyn says: “We did have a reasonable excuse, we were at a jab centre that we said should be closed down.”
The judge set the case down for a one-day trial on May 6, and freed both Corbyn, of Southwark, and Burridge, from Hounslow, on unconditional bail.
