It's not been the best week for Hove MP Mike "Squat Buster" Weatherley and his team and their crusade against squatters, the homeless and leftie scum of Brighton.

Only yesterday the last of three Brighton Squatters arrested days after his law was introduced was finally aquitted on appeal with "no case to answer".

He also was to give evidence in the case against Alex Cline who he accuses of causing him to fear for his life when Weatherley, his entourage of staff and his girlfriend (who we believe gives Mike her attention free of charge) turned up at Sussex Uni to hold a debate about his vile squatting law almost exactly a year ago. It seems the CPS are attempting to have it both ways by suggesting not only that Alex in particular started the "situation" by calling Weatherley a coward but that he was also guilty of "joint enterprise". So why weren't the many other known activists picked up? Smells of desperation to SchNEWS.

After much legal tedium our Mikey finally turned up to give evidence. Determined to prove his lack of cowardice he slipped in and out of the court room via the Judge's door and from the start looked very uncomfortable and shifty even during examination by his own side. Once delivered into the hands of the defence lawyer he slipped into full sleaze-ball mode. It was suggested that he had a "vested interest in portraying squatters in a negative light" - something Weatherley unconvincingly denied.

One of two moments of the day was when asked  "did the defendant move towards you?"  Weatherley would not answer prefering to repeat how scared he was. He had to be asked the question repeatedly (around 6 times) and finally the defence lawyer said "I know you're a politician but you're not answering my question". Despite the amusement of the court still he would not answer. Finally the Judge asked him and Weatherley, realising he was not in Parliament now, quickly said "no". 

Another classic and very amusing moment was when asked how he knew it was a rock that had hit him he said that surely everyone had been hit by a rock sometime in their life. Well no Mikey but it might well be an experience shared by certain annoying Tory Boys.

In essence Weatherley's story with all of its many OTT flourishes was that he was in genuine fear of his life and the safety of his staff.

Following his evidence most of the press disappeared and an intern then gave evidence. Bizarrely she repeatedly described the demeanour of the crowd as "gleeful" totally undermining Weatherley's life threatening version of events. She also explained how they had all been asked to look out for Alex in particular and they all had his photograph - something the Judge seemed to take a particular interest in for obvious reasons.

The case continues 11th and 12th November at Brighton Magistrates' Court.