Police involved in Plebgate case accused of spinning “web of lies” against Andrew Mitchell

Andrew Mitchell

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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Andrew MitchellU.K. High Court have heard on Monday that police officers spun a “web of lies, deceit and indiscipline” targeting former government chief whip Andrew Mitchell and his family and subjected them to an extended and vitriolic press campaign.

The 58-year-old MP for Sutton Coldfield had been accused of calling Downing Street officers “plebs” when he was refused by the officers to cycle out from the entrance gate.

Afterwards the Sun newspaper reported the “Plebgate” incident in September 2012. And just a month later the incident took place, Mr Mitchell quit his post of chief whip.

Now Mr Mitchell has legally challenged and took a libel action against News Group Newspapers (NGN), with his lawyers arguing the police account of the incident was “wholly false”.

Ex-chief whip has said that a September 2012 story in The Sun, which NGN say is substantially true, meant he was guilty of launching a grossly offensive and arrogant attack at Downing Street police officers two days earlier, branding them “plebs” and “morons”.

Mr Justice Mitting, who is hearing the case without a jury, has been told by the complainant that he was in a hurry and was expecting to be let through the vehicle gate and leave Downing Street where he had an office as the MP in charge of government discipline.

Mr Mitchell has told the court that the police refused to open the vehicle gate – normally closed for security reasons – despite him telling to be the chief whip.

However, he denies losing his temper and told that he did swear and muttered under his breath that he thought the duty of guarding officers is to facilitate people than creating difficulties for them. However, the former cabinet minister apologised “unreservedly” for swearing at the officers.

His lawyer James Price QC had told that the paper’s account of the incident was “wholly false” and the words ascribed to him were a “gross caricature of an attitude of mind which has been out of date for decades”.

In response, NGN argues that the article was based on truth, with its case centred on an account given by PC Toby Rowland, a diplomatic protection officer who was appointed at the main Downing Street gate as a guard when the incident happened.

Rowland has also issued a verbal warning against Mr Mitchell, saying he would be arrested if it happened again.

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