Religious group members appear in court over raids

Members of a religious organisation have appeared in court charged with public order offences following a police raid on its headquarters.

More than 500 officers took part in the warrants at three addresses linked to the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light in Crewe, Cheshire, on April 29.

The raid was part of an investigation into alleged sexual abuse, forced marriage and modern slavery, and has prompted daily protests outside the site since.

Twenty-five people were due to appear at South Cheshire Magistrates' Court on Wednesday charged with a range of offences including obstructing police officers, failing to comply with police directions and assaulting an officer.

Eighteen defendants pleaded not guilty during the morning session, and were released on bail, with the hearing set to continue on Wednesday afternoon.

The charges all relate to their alleged actions as the police operation was being carried out.

Annika Livermore, prosecuting, told the court residents obstructed officers from getting into rooms at Webb House, the group's headquarters, some by linking arms to try and stop them getting past.

She said defendant Dareem Charles was alleged to have kicked at shields of police officers and thrown items, while Marc Ferreira allegedly grabbed hold of an officer while he was making an arrest.

The oldest defendant, 59-year-old Ramazan Demirovic, was witnessed pushing past officers and wedging himself against a doorframe, Livermore said.

She added: "The defendant was then seen to lash out with his arms and push an officer to the face."

Laure Delogne, who spoke through a French interpreter, was accused of hiding in a bush when police officers entered the site, the court heard.

The defendants, aged between 18 and 59 with addresses in Crewe, were brought into court individually, with the hearings listed to go on until the afternoon.

Many wore black clothing and some wore black beanie hats.

Cheshire Police said the defendants were of nationalities including British, French, Belgian, Iranian, Egyptian and American.

Outside the court building a handful of protesters gathered, using their phones to film defendants as they arrived.

District Judge Ian Barnes granted the defendants unconditional bail until their trials, listed for dates in April next year.

Case management hearings were scheduled for 29 September.

Eleven people who were arrested as part of the investigation into alleged sexual abuse were separately released on conditional bail.

Webb House, a former orphanage, was released back to residents after police concluded their searches in early May.

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