A 78-year-old woman has been charged after a taxi was blocked by a small group of people near a hotel housing asylum seekers.
It’s alleged the group was linked to regular protests that have been taking place outside the former Holiday Inn Express in Hoylake. These protests began over the summer after it was revealed the Home Office was planning to house male asylum seekers there. Merseyside Police said a woman was charged after reports a small group were blocking traffic and shouting at the occupants of a taxi in Hoylake on the evening of Thursday September 11.
Just before 11pm police received reports of a small group of around five people gathered near the junction of Market Street and The King’s Gap and had created an obstruction in the road.
It was reported the group were shouting at the occupants of a taxi, filming them and blocking the vehicle’s movement.
Officers attended and an arrest was made. Sandra Verkade, 78, of Cable Road, Hoylake was charged with failing to give her name and address to a constable, and engaging in anti-social behaviour.
She was remanded into custody and appeared at Liverpool Magistrates Court on September 12, where she was bailed to return to Liverpool Magistrates Court on December 8.
The hotel has previously been used to house male asylum seekers and more recently used to house families.
However Wirral Council is currently taking legal advice on whether it can challenge the Home Office going forward.
On September 12, Merseyside Police said James Peter Martin, 43, of Old Chester Road, Higher Bebington, had been charged with a section 4 public order offence (using threatening/abusive/insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause fear or provoke unlawful violence).
He was conditionally bailed to appear at Liverpool Magistrates Court on October 3.
Two other arrests were also made in August. On Sunday, August 3, a 28-year-old man from Wirral was arrested on suspicion of a section 5 public order offence (displaying threatening or abusive writing or signs). He was later conditionally bailed.
A 30-year-old man from Wirral was arrested on suspicion of a section 5 public order offence and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place. He was conditionally bailed.
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