Three charged with new squatting offence in Brighton

Three men appeared before Brighton magistrates yesterday (Tuesday 4 September) charged with squatting in a residential building.

They are believed to be the first to have been arrested and charged under the extension of the law that came into force on Saturday (1 September).

The three were former Green Party council candidate Ali Cannell, 22, Tobias Sedgwick, 22, and Dirk Duputell, 29, all of no fixed address.

The three men were also charged with abstracting electricity and obstructing a police offcer and pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

They were arrested at the building in London Road, Brighton, by officers from Sussex Police on Monday (3 September).

The court released them on bail and remanded them to appear again on Tuesday 30 October when the case is expected to be committed to the crown court.

The extension to the law on squatting was promoted by the Conservative MP for Hove Mike Weatherley.