City animal rights activist was being 'silly' not intimidating

Elenor Kenny, 19, and Gemma Barnes, 34, are on trial accused of following, filming, and making a string of derogatory comments towards the officers, including accusing them of lying in court proceedings.

Norwich Crown Court has heard Sergeant Kelly Larkin and PC Dean Horgan were "bombarded with slurs, accusations and comments" with the intention to intimidate.

Norwich Crown Court (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest) It was after they attended the magistrates court in relation to charges over protests at Norwich Livestock Market at a hearing on May 23 last year in which the two women were defendants.

Giving evidence on Tuesday Kenny told her barrister Munro Kerr she had been "silly" and was "messing about" but had not intended to intimidate police.

Elenor Kenny leaving magistrates court at a previous hearing (Image: Newsquest) The jury heard Kenny had said "hello" to PC Horgan on the stairs at Norwich Magistrates Court before last year's hearing but had not expected to see him.

Kenny said she mentioned Lincoln to the officer as she remembered PC Horgan had previously told her he was from there and she thought it was a "nice place".

She said she was on her phone and had tried to look up PC Horgan as she was waiting to go into court but was "messing about" and "being silly".

Ms Kerr asked: "Did you find anything out about him?"

Kenny replied: "No, nothing at all".

When asked if she had been trying to intimidate him, Kenny replied: "No, no definitely not."

Ms Kerr said: "Why did you look him up?"

Kenny replied: "Looking back, it was a silly thing to do. I was just messing about - that's all it was."

Following the hearing Kenny left court with Barnes and a male friend about 20 minutes later and became aware of the officers as they crossed Tombland.

Ms Kerr asked Kenny whether when she followed the officers she was trying to intimidate them.

Kenny said: "No, I never once had that intention".

In her defence on Monday Barnes said it was "preposterous" she had tried to intimidate the officers.

Kenny, of Ashleigh Gardens, Wymondham and Barnes, previously of St Leonards Road, Norwich, both deny intimidation intended to obstruct, pervert or interfere with ongoing court proceedings.

The trial continues.