Police in court over false evidence

Two Greater Manchester Policemen accused of giving false evidence about an English Defence League march in Bolton are due to appear in court today.

GMP officers Inspector Robert Cantrell, 39, and Constable Alan Glover, 31, are being charged with perverting the course of justice, after an Independent Police Complaints Commission led investigation.

Both officers are suspected of giving untruthful evidence that led to the arrest of UAF protester Alan Clough, 65, who was hit over the head by police and subsequently arrested during the rally in Bolton in March 2010.

Clough, from Radcliffe, Bury, was set to stand trial in October 2010 on a charge of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour. But the charge was dropped after video footage of the rally was obtained.

Demonstrators from each side clashed at the rally, which saw 73 people arrested, including the UAF protest organiser.

Insp Cantrell and PC Glover appeared in York Crown Court last Tuesday to give their names and dates of birth. They are due to appear again today to enter their pleas and for the date of the trial to be set.

The hearings are in York due to a decision by the Crown Prosecution Service to take the officers away from the area they work in.

The GMP declined to comment, saying the matter was in the hands of the IPCC.