A man from south-east London is set to stand trial over alleged involvement in the destruction of one of Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s Ulez cameras.
Joseph Nicholls, 42, is accused of aiding and abetting criminal damage to a £7,000 camera in April, when it is said he “counselled and procured” another person to act.
The Sidcup resident is also accused of sending a threatening message via an online contact form on May 5 to Yunex Traffic Limited – the company hired by Transport for London to install and maintain traffic cameras.
The proposed Ulez expansion to outer London – due at the end of this month - is set to be a key battleground in next year’s London Mayor election, with Mr Khan’s Conservative opponent Susan Hall promising to scrap the scheme.
The Mayor, who has made Ulez a major plank of his environmental campaigning platform, won a key battle in the High Court last week when a judge dismissed an attempt by five Tory councils to block the expansion.
Nicholls appeared in the dock at Woolwich crown court on Tuesday, pleading not guilty to aiding and abetting criminal damage and sending a threatening electronic communication.
He has been set free on bail until a trial in the week of June 10 next year. His trial is set to take place after next year’s Mayoral election.
