Footage results in charges being dropped against hunt protester

CHARGES against a hunt protester involved in confrontation with a councillor have been dropped after footage emerged of the incident.

Dafydd Hughes faced charges of common assault after a scuffle broke out between him and a north Wales councillor in Ruthin in December.

Mr Hughes was walking towards a drag hunt meeting when he was confronted by Trelawnyd and Gwaenysgor community councillor Ed Lloyd-Ellis, reported NorthWalesLive.

Footage of the incident shows Cllr Lloyd-Ellis telling Mr Hughes he cannot walk down the road and standing in his way before a row erupted.

The protester said he reported to North Wales Police that Cllr Lloyd-Ellis grabbed him first, but the councillor denied this and claimed it was the other way around. Mr Hughes was charged with common assault.

He alleged there was police bias, which was denied by Chief Inspector Jeff Moses, who insisted they investigated incidents around hunt activities “impartially”.

Mr Hughes said: “I have had six months of hell following this and then got told on Monday that the charges had been dropped.”

Chief Inspector Moses said North Wales Police had a “well established operation” in place to deal with issues surrounding hunts.

A Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) spokesman said: “The case against the defendant was charged by the police and passed to CPS.

“The case was reviewed in accordance with the test in the Code for Crown Prosecutors and our duty to keep cases under continuous review.

“The crown prosecutor undertaking the review concluded that the evidential stage of the Code test was not met as there was insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction.

“The proceedings against the defendant were discontinued.”