By David Young-
A man charged with breach of the peace after Prince Andrew was allegedly heckled as he walked behind the Queen’s coffin will not face court, prosecutors have said.
The 22-year-old who singled himself out and shouted out disparagingly against Prince Andrew was arrested after the incident, which occurred as The Duke of York walked in the procession as it made its way from the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh to St Giles’ Cathedral on September 12.
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It occurred on a week in which some anti royal groups had been protesting against the Monarchy, leading to the police to intervene in a number of cases.
A number of Human Right Lawyers at the time protested against police intervention in some of those cases.
The Crown Office said the case has been dealt with “by way of an offer of an alternative to prosecution”.
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A spokesman said: “The procurator fiscal received a report concerning a 22-year-old male in connection with an alleged incident on September 12, 2022.
“After full and careful consideration of all facts and circumstances, the case was dealt with by way of an offer of an alternative to prosecution.”
Alternatives to prosecution can include warnings, work orders, fines and compensation orders, however the Crown Office said it could not say what alternative was used in this case.
Prosecutors also said no action will be taken at this time against a woman who held an anti-monarchy sign ahead of the accession proclamation of King Charles III in Edinburgh.
The 22-year-old was arrested outside St Giles’ Cathedral on September 11.
The Crown Office said: “The procurator fiscal received a report relating to a 22-year-old female and an incident said to have occurred on September 11, 2022.
“After careful consideration of the facts and circumstances of the case, including the available admissible evidence, the procurator fiscal decided that there should be no proceedings taken at this time.
Prosecutors did not state precisely what facts and circumstances were taken into account.
The decision to charge an individual for breach of the peace, and retrospectively revoke the charge effectively gives the impression the charging decision was wrong.
Some analysts believe prosecutors want to avoid the prospect of the defendants giving their reasons for the behaviour would add injury to the situation, if stated in a court of law.
Footage posted to social media showed a young man heckling Prince Andrew as he walked behind his mother’s coffin.
The man was then wrestled to the ground by two bystanders who were charged with assault last month.
Prosecutors did not state whether the men who wrestled him to the ground would be charged with assault.
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