A 'Reverend' who breached Covid rules by gathering inside a Christian bookshop was "effectively policing the police" after he headed there in a car after hearing officers had arrived, a court heard. The Rev Shaun Everest, who prefers to be referred to by the name 'Sadama Das', was found guilty of three charges by a judge today (Tuesday, June 7).
He was convicted of a Covid-19 breach, where there was a gathering of two or more people not in the same household or bubble, obstructing a police officer and failing to disperse when instructed by acting Inspector Paul Whitehead.
He was fined £180 for the obstruction, and £60 each on the remaining two charges. He was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £34 and to pay prosecution costs of £620 after a trial.
Everest, who is not working and not in receipt of benefits, told District Judge Leo Pyle that he is appealing. Wearing casual clothes and a woolly hat, he walked forward in the courtroom at Nottingham Magistrates' waving a form and said: "I would like to appeal now anyway". He told Nottinghamshire Live afterwards: "I don't accept any of that. I'm appealing. It's all nonsense. It's bureaucratic nonsense".
READ MORE: 'Reverend' says he's innocent of Covid breach because 'God wanted him there'
The court heard some of the exceptions for a gathering at the time, during the UK's second national lockdown, included all people in the same household, to facilitate a house move, or participate in legal proceedings.
The evidence in Everest's case concerned people gathering inside the Mustard Seed cafe and bookshop in Main Road, Gedling, on November 14, 2020, and he was one of them - something which he denied - but police officers attested he was there. Everest, of Ossington Close, Meden Vale, Mansfield, refused to provide his details to police and he was arrested and put inside a police van but initially, he resisted.
One officer had said Everest was "ranting and talking over officer Whitehead". Another officer described the defendant shouting "police were kidnapping him".
Officer Whitehead said ten to 15 people were in the cafe area and windows and curtains were being closed and he assumed police had been seen.
The officer had explained to Everest, who he said came from inside the shop, the current legislation about coronavirus retrictions. Everest had stepped over the doorstep and stood between him and a female, and said the officer could not have his name and address and, "there was no coronavirus".
Everest's account was he arrived at the cafe in a car. "The impression I formed was the defendant was effectively policing the police", said Judge Pyle. He had taken the sergeant's collar number earlier that day and, when he learned police were at the cafe, he headed over there.
The judge, who saw body-worn footage from police as the incident escalated, also referred to those who filmed on their mobile phones and how not a single individual had come forward with their footage.
What is happening w here you live? Find out by adding your postcode or visit InYourArea
