A retired vicar accused of vandalising an MP's office in an environmental protest has been cleared of criminal damage after the case against him was dropped. The Rev Mark Coleman, former Vicar of Rochdale, was accused of spraying graffiti calling for action on climate change on the outside of Heywood and Middleton MP Chris Clarkson's constituency office on March 21 last year.
Mr Coleman, 63, of Rochdale, was due to stand trial at Manchester magistrates' court today (Friday). But on the eve of the trial the Crown Prosecution Service informed Mr Coleman the case was being discontinued because 'there is not enough evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction'.
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Inspired by a scene from the 2016 Ken Loach film 'I, Daniel Blake', the former vicar wrote 'I Mark Coleman am fed up with empty words and demand action on the climate' and 'Tell the Truth, love mercy, do justice' on the office in Heywood and then staged a two hour sit-in on the pavement.
He also wrote an open letter to Mr Clarkson explaining the reasons for his protest and offered to clean the paint off. Mr Coleman, who in recent years has been arrested nine times while taking part in Extinction Rebellion and Insulate Britain protests, told the Manchester Evening News he had 'mixed feelings' about the case being dropped .
He said: "There is some disappointment. There was a lot of preparation went into it and I was hoping to attempt to justify what I did. But there's relief as well because a conviction was likely."
But Mr Coleman, who retired in 2020 due to ill health, said the case wouldn't put him off future protests. He added: "The Government is still leading us on a path to disaster. I am in a very privileged position to live in this country be able to stand up and protest and say what I think is necessary.
"Me sitting in front of a MP's window is really very trivial, but it points to the bigger problem. We have to wake up. There is hope, but it needs action."
A CPS spokesperson said: "The CPS received a case file, following the police decision to charge. This was thoroughly reviewed in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors. Our prosecutor decided that on this occasion, the evidential test was not met."
A spokesperson for Mr Clarkson said as the MP hadn't been informed the case had been dropped he wouldn't be able to comment.
