Riot Officer Pleads Not Guilty to Assaulting G20 Activist

In City of Westminster magistrates court in London on Monday, Scotland Yard Territorial Support Group (TSG) sergeant, Delroy Smellie, 47, pleaded not guilty to assaulting Nicola Fisher at the G20 protests near the Bank of England on April 2, 2009..

Fisher, from Brighton, was among a large crowd who attended a vigil for Ian Tomlinson, a paper vendor who collapsed and died after being struck by an officer from the TSG the day before. Cause of death was subsequently determined to be internal bleeding caused by a blow to the abdomen. On September 28, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced that it would be charging Sergeant Smellie:

The Crown Prosecution Service has decided that there is sufficient evidence to charge Police Sergeant Delroy (Tony) Smellie with the offence of assault by beating of Nicola Fisher on April 2 2009 at a demonstration in the City of London.

The CPS reviewed a file of evidence provided by the Independent Police Complaints Commission following their investigation into Ms Fisher's allegation.

A summons has been served on Sgt Smellie, who will appear at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court on November 16 2009.

Yesterday Sergeant Smellie had his, first, day in City of Westminister Magistrates Court. Dressed in a dark suit and mauve tie, Smellie pleaded not guilty to a charge of common assault by beating Nicola Fisher in the City of London on April 2. District Judge Daphne Wickham granted Smellie unconditional bail until his trial, scheduled for Monday 22 March next year at the same courthouse. Sergeant Smellie will remain suspended from Scotland Yard at least until the criminal case is resolved.