Hampstead Satanic child abuse activist facing witness intimidation charges
Neelu Berry - Credit: Archant
An activist making claims of satanic abuse at a Hampstead church could face three new charges of witness intimidation.
Neelu Berry, 56, is alleged to have published witness statements relating to child abuse claims levelled at a paedophile cult she claimed operated from Christ Church.
The claims were originally made by two young children, now in foster care, in a campaign derided as “evil” and “baseless” by a High Court Judge earlier this year.
Ella Draper, mother to the two children, and her partner Abraham Christie, tortured the pair into making the false allegations – which resulted in innocent people being named in online videos seen by millions.
Berry, who was not required to attend a Blackfriars Crown Court hearing on Friday, could see a single charge of perverting the course of justice amended to three of witness intimidation.
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Steven Attridge, prosecuting, said: “This defendant, and others, have been troubling the parish priest and also the governors of the church school next door to that church with a number of other parishioners as well.”
Berry was due to stand trial last month at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court, charged under the rarely-used Ecclesiastical Courts Jurisdiction Act 1860 with participating in riotous, violent or indecent behaviour.
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She is said to have attended a protest at Christ Church on March 22, where she allegedly harassed the vicar by asking inappropriate questions about the abuse and causing him distress.
The case was thrown out when a number of witnesses failed to show up and the prosecution was left with no evidence.
It is claimed witnesses were intimidated after their statements were published online - sparking these new charges.
Berry, of Peel Drive, Clayhall, Ilford, was bailed to attend Blackfriars Crown Court for a plea and case management hearing on January 8.
