An east London council has been ordered to pay £24,000 in legal costs after a botched attempt to prosecute a cinema for breaking Covid rules.
Hey, it's only taxpayer's money, isn't it? So why not take a punt?
A criminal case was brought by Tower Hamlets council against the Genesis Cinema in Bethnal Green, accusing the family-run arthouse venue of flouting the pandemic rules in November and December 2020.
After a protracted legal battle, the council eventually dropped the charges last October, offering no evidence after a “reconsideration of the public interest in continuing with the prosecution”.
Pity that consideration of the public interest didn't take place before attempting it...
Last week Stratford magistrates’ court ordered the council to pay £24,000 in costs racked up by Genesis Entertainment Ltd.
The council won't pay that, of course - the people of Tower Hamlets will.
Cinema owner Tyrone Walker-Hebborn said: “We are delighted that justice has been done. We would never knowingly break the law.”
True justice would see it coming out of the salary or pension pot of the Tower Hamlet council staff who made the decision to proceed, Tyrone...
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