Wheelie Bin Protester Charged With Harassing Council Leader

Paul Slattery was involved in demonstration outside Steve Curran's home

Anti-wheelie bin protester Paul Slattery has been charged with harassment.

He had been originally arrested after a demonstration in Brentford outside the home of Steve Curran, the leader of Hounslow Council. During the protest last November, wheelie bins were piled up outside the property by people objecting to their imposition across the borough. Around 20 people participated in the protest but only 65-year-old Mr Slattery was arrested. He and Cllr Curran have known each other for many years.

The new wheelie bins had just been delivered in the area as part of a borough wide roll out of new refuse collection arrangements.

Mr Slattery, who lives on Lateward Road, Brentford was arrested on Saturday, 21 November 2015 on suspicion of harassment of a person in their house and bailed pending further enquiries. During the investigation his mobile phone and computer equipment were confiscated by police.

He returned on bail this Friday, and was charged with harassment of a person in their own home (contrary to section 42A of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001).

He has been bailed again to appear at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on 24 April.

The police were called by Cllr Curran to the protest

Cllr Curran said after the incident, "As Leader of Hounslow Council, I take full responsibility for the decisions we take, but it's simply not appropriate for a crowd of people to heckle and barrack me at night, outside the home which I share with my family. Nor is it right to prevent access in and out of my house with wheelie bins. Protesting outside my house is also not fair to my neighbours.

“I had no option but to call the police as I was being harassed and felt threatened".

He has declined to make further comment.

Cllr Steve Curran calls police during the protest

A web site set up to protest against wheelie bins in Hounslow www.ihatemywheeliebin.co.uk has had its page removed by Facebook.

March 19, 2016