Judge Satisfied Mitchell Did Call Cops 'Plebs'

A High Court judge has said he is satisfied former chief whip Andrew Mitchell called police officers “plebs”.

Mr Justice Mitting said he believed that the Tory MP had lost his temper during an altercation at the main gates of Downing Street in September 2012 as he delivered his judgement in a libel trial.

Mr Mitchell, who has been ordered to pay interim costs of £300,000, said he was “bitterly disappointed” to lose the case and said it had been a “miserable two years”.

Court sources say the overall costs of Mr Mitchell’s claim could be as high as £3m.

The judge said events on that day “do not reflect well on Mr Mitchell”, and found his account to be “inconsistent”.

Mr Mitchell, who resigned over the row, sued News Group Newspapers (NGN) over a story in The Sun which first published the remarks.

The police officer involved, PC Toby Rowland, in turn took action against Mr Mitchell for accusing him of giving a dishonest account.

Both of these actions were considered during the trial.

PC Rowland said that when he told Mr Mitchell he could not use the main gate at Downing Street on his bicycle, Mr Mitchell became furious saying: “Best you learn your ****ing place … You don’t run this ****ing government.. You’re ****ing plebs.”

Mr Mitchell had denied this. In his account he muttered audibly under his breath: “I thought you lot were supposed to ****ing help us.”

However he insisted this was not directed at the officer.

But the judge said PC Rowland was “not the sort of man who would have had the wit, imagination or inclination to invent on the spur of the moment an account of what a senior politician had said to him in temper”.

And he said inconsistencies in the officer’s account did not demonstrate that it was fabricated.

Giving his ruling, Mr Justice Mitting said: “For the reasons given I am satisfied at least on the balance of probabilities that Mr Mitchell did speak the words alleged or something so close to them as to amount to the same including the politically toxic word pleb.”

He also rejected the allegation there was collusion by the officers on the gate that night.

Speaking afterwards, PC Rowland said he was simply doing his job “without fear or favour”, while The Sun’s managing editor, Sitg Abell, said the judgement was “vindication for The Sun and its journalism”.

Steve White, chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: “Toby’s name has been cleared and his integrity restored.

“Toby has conducted himself with dignity and professionalism in relation to this incident and subsequent inquiries and legal cases.”

Following the judgement, Desmond Browne QC, for PC Rowland, said the judge had decided the critical issue of the case – whether the word “pleb” was used – which was determinative of the entire litigation.

Mr Mitchell now has 14 days to tender an undertaking and for the two sides to talk between themselves and agree, if necessary, an order for the further progress of the actions if they are not resolved.

More follows…

Source Article from https://uk.news.yahoo.com/judge-rules-plebgate-legal-battle-151504822.html

Judge Satisfied Mitchell Did Call Cops 'Plebs'