A MAN said to be overseeing “health and safety” at a protest outside an Amazon depot near Darlington has denied a charge of possessing a bladed article during the demo.

James Ozden is alleged to have been in possession of the craft knife upon his arrest for alleged aggravated trespass at the Symmetry Park site, on Friday, November 26, last year.

Environmental activists from the Extinction Rebellion movement staged the ‘Black Friday’ day of action at the Darlington site and several other Amazon distribution centres around the country.

During the demonstration they erected makeshift structures to block access and exit from the depot, resulting in some shifts being cancelled amid fears for site workers’ safety.

Read more: 12 Extinction Rebellion protesters arrested at Amazon Darlington

While the cases of eight other demonstrators, also accused of aggravated trespass during the protest, will be heard before magistrates next month, Mr Ozden chose to seek a jury trial on the bladed article allegation.

The 25-year-old social science researcher, of Walthamstow, in London, appeared at a plea hearing at Durham Crown Court, where the charge was put to him.

He denied the single count which states that without good reason or lawful authority he had in his possession an article with a blade or point in public, namely the knife.

Asked what the defence is likely to be, the defendant’s counsel, James Yearsley, told Judge Ray Singh: “It comes down to, ‘reasonable excuse.’

“The issue will partly be about the background of the protest and whether it was a legitimate protest.”

Judge Singh said: “Why does it have any relevance to the defence this defendant wants to run, if it considers it was a legitimate protest, over having a Stanley knife?”

Mr Yearsley told the judge: “He had it with work in construction and cutting of ropes.”

He added: “He was there as a ‘health and safety officer’ in relation to the protest and we would argue there was a justifiable reason to have a Stanley knife.”

All parties agreed a start date of Monday, July 25 for what the judge estimated will be a two-day trial.

Mr Ozden’s representatives must submit his defence statement by April 19 and the Crown was asked to respond to that by May 17.

Judge Singh said there should also be a further case management hearing on July 1, to make any pre-trial rulings pertinent to the case.

He bailed Mr Ozden to return for that hearing and the later trial, in July.

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