A PRESS photographer arrested and charged while working at the scene of a murder in Swansea said today he will take further action after a judge described the case as “disturbing” and his prosecution was dropped.
Dimitris Legakis was detained at the scene of a murder on Sketty Lane, Swansea, on September 22 2023.
The freelance photographer was covering a car fire set by David Clarke, who beat his 77-year-old wife Helen with a hammer before dousing her in petrol and setting her alight.
Police arrested Mr Legakis on a public order allegation, later charging him with assaulting an emergency worker, obstructing or resisting a police officer, and with a public order offence of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dropped the public order allegation and Mr Legakis pleaded not guilty to the assault charge.
The trial was due to start at Swansea Crown Court today but the court was told by the CPS at a hearing on Monday that no evidence would be offered in the case.
Judge Walters called the case “disturbing,” saying it “raised serious questions” and that something had “very seriously gone wrong.”
He recorded a formal not-guilty verdict on the charge of assaulting an emergency worker.
Mr Legakis told the Star that he felt numb and said: “The case was relying on doubtful, if not non-existent, evidence and witness testimonies that were purposefully inaccurate to say the least.”
He also confirmed he would make official complaints against the CPS and South Wales Police.
National Union of Journalists president Natasha Hirst said: “There has been an alarming number of incidents of police overstepping their powers with photographers and reporters.
“Photographers carry out a vital role in independently documenting events that are in the public interest.
“We will raise this case in our discussions with the police and continue to urge them to work with the NUJ to educate their officers on the role and remit of journalists,” Ms Hirst said.
South Wales Police and the CPS declined to apologise to Mr Legakis.
“The CPS have a lot to explain as they do not seem to have done basic work earlier and allowed it to drag on and I do not accept them and the police effectively blaming each other,” Mr Legakis said.
