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'Plebgate' libel case: 'Police lied' about Mitchell 'Plebgate' libel case: 'Police lied' about Mitchell
(35 minutes later)
Police span a "web of lies" that led to a "vitriolic" campaign of "plebgate" stories against ex-chief whip Andrew Mitchell, the High Court has heard.Police span a "web of lies" that led to a "vitriolic" campaign of "plebgate" stories against ex-chief whip Andrew Mitchell, the High Court has heard.
Mr Mitchell resigned in 2012 after the Sun reported he had called Downing Street officers "plebs".Mr Mitchell resigned in 2012 after the Sun reported he had called Downing Street officers "plebs".
He is suing News Group Newspapers, with his lawyers saying the police account of the incident was "wholly false".He is suing News Group Newspapers, with his lawyers saying the police account of the incident was "wholly false".
He accepts that he swore when police refused to open a Downing Street gate for him to leave on his bicycle.He accepts that he swore when police refused to open a Downing Street gate for him to leave on his bicycle.
Giving evidence in court, the former cabinet minister apologised "unreservedly" for swearing but, denying he called officers plebs, told the judge: "My Lord, I did not say those words." The 58-year-old MP is also being sued by one of the officers on duty at the time for comments he made following the incident.
'Extremely unpleasant' Warning: The rest of this report includes explicit language
The Conservative MP for Sutton Coldfield says he asked politely if he could leave on his bike through the main Downing Street gates but denies losing his temper when police refused. Giving evidence in court, the former cabinet minister apologised "unreservedly" for swearing but denied calling officers plebs, telling the judge: "My Lord, I did not say those words."
His legal team accept that he swore and was issued with a verbal warning by diplomatic protection officer Toby Rowland PC, who said he would be arrested if it happened again. BBC home affairs correspondent Daniel Sandford said rarely could so many highly-paid barristers have uttered so many "fruity swear words" before a judge.
But Mr Mitchell's barrister James Price QC said: "This web of lies, deceit and indiscipline, and by police officers, led to Mr Mitchell and his family being subjected to an extremely unpleasant, indeed vitriolic, press campaign and a good deal of hostility from the public who believed what they had read in the press. The Conservative MP for Sutton Coldfield says he was trying to leave Downing Street on his bike and had asked politely if he could leave through the main gates.
He denies losing his temper when police refused but says he swore and muttered under his breath that he thought police were supposed to "help us".
Mr Mitchell's legal team accept that he swore and was issued with a verbal warning by diplomatic protection officer Toby Rowland PC, who told the MP he would be arrested if it happened again.
Representing Mr Mitchell, James Price QC told the court one of the officers on duty had described the incident as a minor altercation that should not have been taken any further.
But it ended up as front page news, the court heard, when other officers - one of whom who had not been present at the gate - leaked the police account to the Sun.
The girlfriend of another officer was persuaded to tell the newspaper she was a passing tourist and had witnessed the incident, while another who was not present emailed Mr Mitchell's deputy chief whip, making a similar claim.
'Charm and menace'
The tabloid reported that, in an expletive-laden exchange, Mr Mitchell told the officers on duty: "Best you learn your fucking place. You don't run this fucking government, you're fucking plebs."
Mr Price described the police accounts as "wholly false".
He said: "This web of lies, deceit and indiscipline, and by police officers, led to Mr Mitchell and his family being subjected to an extremely unpleasant, indeed vitriolic, press campaign and a good deal of hostility from the public who believed what they had read in the press.
"It also placed him in a position where he required considerable determination and, above all, confidence in the rightness of his position, to stand by his account of events.""It also placed him in a position where he required considerable determination and, above all, confidence in the rightness of his position, to stand by his account of events."
Separately, PC Rowland is suing Mr Mitchell for comments the MP made following the incident. PC Rowland is suing Mr Mitchell for statements MP made in the media from December 2012 and in a press conference in November last year.
The police officer's barrister, Desmond Browne QC, told the court Mr Mitchell was a "Mr Hyde and Dr Jekyll" character who mixed "charm and menace".
"The capacity for menace finds its outlet in both a foul temper and foul language," he said.