Police officer denies manslaughter of newspaper seller in G20 protests

A SCOTLAND Yard officer denied killing newspaper seller Ian Tomlinson at the G20 protests, when he appeared in court charged with manslaughter.

Mr Tomlinson, a homeless 47-year-old, collapsed and died on the fringes of demonstrations in central London on 1 April, 2009.

PC Simon Harwood, a father of two, showed no emotion as he stood in the dock at Southwark Crown Court yesterday to enter his plea of not guilty. Relatives of Mr Tomlinson gasped from the public gallery as Harwood, 40, denied the allegation.

Harwood, who appeared in the dock wearing a dark suit, white shirt and tie, spoke clearly and confidently to confirm his name, before he was told: “You are charged on this indictment with manslaughter, that on 1 April, 2009, you unlawfully killed Ian Tomlinson.

“How do you plead: guilty or not guilty?”

He answered boldly: “My Lord, not guilty.”

Mr Tomlinson’s wife, Julia, wiped tears from her eyes, while his stepson, Paul King, hung his head and muttered “No”.

Harwood’s wife, Helen, showed no emotion during the 20-minute hearing.

The director of public prosecutions charged the officer over Mr Tomlinson’s death after reviewing an inquest jury’s unlawful killing verdict.

Keir Starmer, QC, previously said new medical evidence at the inquest and the opinions ofexperts during the hearing helped to change his mind in launching proceedings.

Mr Tomlinson’s death became an international controversy after New York businessman Christopher La Jaunie handed footage he had taken of a police confrontation to the Guardian newspaper.

Harwood is due to stand trial at Southwark Crown Court on 13 June, 2012.