Title: “Court Proceedings Commence for Individuals Accused of Disrupting World Snooker Championships through Just Stop Oil Protest”
Two individuals, a university student named Edred Ilmari Heath Whittingham and former museum professional Margaret Reid, have recently faced charges in Sheffield Magistrates’ Court following their alleged involvement in a disturbance during the World Snooker Championship caused by a Just Stop Oil protest.
The incident occurred during the match between Robert Milkins and Joe Perry at the Crucible arena in Sheffield on April 17, 2023. A man, identified as Whittingham, donning a Just Stop Oil T-shirt, disrupted the game by invading the arena and spilling orange paint powder onto one of the tables.
Simultaneously, another individual, a woman, attempted a similar act on the adjacent table but was thwarted by referee Olivier Marteel.
Whittingham, 26, residing on May Street in Exeter, and Reid, 53, from Low Fellside in Kendal, Cumbria, both entered pleas of not guilty to their respective charges.
Whittingham faces charges of criminal damage, while Reid is charged with attempting to cause criminal damage.
During the court appearance on Tuesday, District Judge Daniel Curtis granted both defendants unconditional bail until their trial scheduled for May 10 at the same court.
The decision implies that Whittingham and Reid will remain at liberty without any specific conditions or restrictions until the trial date.
The disruption at the World Snooker Championship, attributed to the Just Stop Oil protest, led to the legal proceedings against Whittingham and Reid.
As the court process unfolds, further details surrounding the motivations behind the protest and the subsequent disturbances are expected to come to light during the trial on May 10.
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