Police adviser prosecutes law firm head over assault

A FREELANCE police station adviser is taking out a private prosecution against the head of the firm where he used to work over an alleged assault.

Robert Layton, sole partner at London firm Layton & Co, of Horn Lane, Acton, has pleaded not guilty to a section 39 assault on Joel Parkes.

He is scheduled to stand trial at Tottenham Magistrates Court on 2 December.

Parkes, who left the firm shortly after the alleged assault, claims he has been forced to pay for a prosecution himself because Harrow Crown Prosecution Service said it knew Layton and could not make an unbiased judgement.

As a result, it passed the case on to the CPS head office. But it would not make a decision to prosecute until the police had interviewed Layton. "Ealing CID said they didn't have the resources to interview him without knowing whether he could be prosecuted," said Parkes.

When asked to comment, Layton said: "What's it got to do with you?" The CPS declined to comment.