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| Court clears control order nurse | Court clears control order nurse |
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| A nurse has been cleared of breaching a control order after going missing for a month in May in the company of two brothers of a convicted terrorist. | |
| Cerie Bullivant, 25, of Dagenham, Essex, told the Old Bailey the order had destroyed his life as it stopped him studying or doing a work placement. | |
| A control order - a type of house arrest - can be placed on terror suspects but he denies such activities. | |
| He absconded with two relatives of fertiliser bomb plotter Anthony Garcia. | |
| Mr Bullivant's solicitor, Gareth Pierce, said the jury had "done the right thing, morally, legally and factually," by clearing him. | |
| Sick mother | Sick mother |
| Jurors were asked to decide if Mr Bullivant had a "reasonable excuse" to breach his control order imposed in 2006. | Jurors were asked to decide if Mr Bullivant had a "reasonable excuse" to breach his control order imposed in 2006. |
| During the trial, Mr Bullivant, who denied seven counts of contravening an obligation under the order, argued he went missing in May because he had been suffering from depression and anxiety. | During the trial, Mr Bullivant, who denied seven counts of contravening an obligation under the order, argued he went missing in May because he had been suffering from depression and anxiety. |
| He said the control order conditions did not allow him to study or attend a work placement and that they were having a "bad effect" on his sick mother, who was suffering from a mental illness. | He said the control order conditions did not allow him to study or attend a work placement and that they were having a "bad effect" on his sick mother, who was suffering from a mental illness. |
| His relationship with his newly-married wife had also "collapsed" as a result of the restrictions on his movement, he told the court. | His relationship with his newly-married wife had also "collapsed" as a result of the restrictions on his movement, he told the court. |
| Bomb plot link | Bomb plot link |
| Mr Bullivant, who was studying for a degree in mental health nursing at South Bank University, described absconding as "probably the worst decision of my life and it was a decision taken in desperation". | Mr Bullivant, who was studying for a degree in mental health nursing at South Bank University, described absconding as "probably the worst decision of my life and it was a decision taken in desperation". |
| However, he refused to tell the court where he had fled to accompanied by Lamine and Ibrahim Adam, the brothers of Anthony Garcia, a convicted terrorist. | However, he refused to tell the court where he had fled to accompanied by Lamine and Ibrahim Adam, the brothers of Anthony Garcia, a convicted terrorist. |
| He said it was up to the Adam brothers, who are also under control orders and remain on the run, whether they handed themselves in. | |
| Garcia is serving life imprisonment after being found guilty in April of his part in a plot to target the UK with a fertiliser bomb. | Garcia is serving life imprisonment after being found guilty in April of his part in a plot to target the UK with a fertiliser bomb. |
| Mr Bullivant, who was brought up as a Christian but converted to Islam, told the court he had not left the country, or London, and had stayed at the same place for five weeks before handing himself in in June. | Mr Bullivant, who was brought up as a Christian but converted to Islam, told the court he had not left the country, or London, and had stayed at the same place for five weeks before handing himself in in June. |
| Under the terms of his order, he had been required to report daily to police and surrender his passport. | Under the terms of his order, he had been required to report daily to police and surrender his passport. |
| The case is the first time a jury has been asked to consider the controversial issue of control orders |