A summons against US stand-up comedian Reginald D Hunter has been quashed at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday. District Judge Michael Snow ruled the private prosecution by the Campaign Against Antisemitism was "abusive" and intended to get the 56-year-old comedian "cancelled." The judge found the charity used the criminal justice system for "improper reasons."
Hunter faced three counts of sending offensive communications on X, formerly Twitter, dating from August and September last year. The prosecution was brought by the Campaign Against Antisemitism, a charity organization.
Judge Snow found the charity's application summary "misleading and partial" and cited a "wilful, repeated, failure to meet its disclosure obligations." He ruled: «The CAA have demonstrated by the misleading and partial way in which it summarised its application and its wilful, repeated, failure to meet its disclosure obligations, that its true and sole motive in seeking to prosecute Reginald Hunter is to have him cancelled.»
The judge stated: «I have no doubt that the prosecution is abusive.» He added: «My view of the conduct of the CAA is consistent with them as an organisation which is not 'playing it straight' but is seeking to use the criminal justice system, in this case for improper reasons.»
Disclosure failures
Judge Snow found the charity failed to reveal crucial information. It did not disclose that tweets were directed at Hunter by Heidi Bachram, the recipient of the alleged offensive communications, between August 15 and September 11, 2024. The judge found the summary misled him about Hunter's comments, making him believe they were related to Bachram's "Jewish faith" rather than Hunter's "response to attempts that were being made to have him 'cancelled'."
The charity also failed to disclose it was subject to a compliance investigation by the Charity Commission in November 2024.
Hunter's legal team
Rebecca Chalkley KC, representing Hunter, argued the summons should be quashed due to the charity's "lack of candour" and minimal disclosure. She told the court «very little was disclosed» and questioned the «whole juridical process as judges before issuing summonses need to have everything in front of them.»
Chalkley argued the judge was misled: «You were led to believe in papers in front of you that the CAA was no more than a charity, that it had no history – as since demonstrated as a vexatious litigant – no complaints, no criticism in Parliament, no investigations by the Charity Commission.»
She accused the charity of broader misconduct: «The CAA are weaponising and using the courts for their own political agenda and not just in this case.»
The Campaign Against Antisemitism's prosecutor, Donal Lawler, maintained the charity had complied with its duty of candour.
Hunter regularly tours the UK and has appeared on British comedy panel shows including Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Have I Got News For You, and 8 Out Of 10 Cats.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
