Chalk slogans demo outside court - Update

A Bristol student led a small protest outside the city's magistrates' court after a case against him for allegedly chalking on the pavement was dropped. Paul Saville, 23, was due to appear before magistrates charged with causing criminal damage but was told there was "insufficient evidence" to prosecute.

The second-year sociology and criminology student said the legal action had affected his studies. Mr Saville had previously pleaded not guilty to the criminal damage charge.

On Wednesday he was told by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) it had looked at the police files but decided not to proceed with the case.



With the charges dropped, Mr Saville did not have to attend court but chose to stand outside to "raise awareness of the current ID situations in the UK."

"I think it is important that we think as a society about where we are going and the situation around ID cards is soon to come," he said. "It all sounds a bit paranoid but it is all happening. I felt I needed to express."

He added: "My criminal damage involved chalk. If you excuse the pun, it does wash away."

Previously.