Judge tells Blunkett to "butt out"

David Blunkett was told to "butt out" by a judge today after he spoke up for a defendant.

District judge Brian Loosely issued the extraordinary rebuke to the Home Secretary and revealed that the intervention had almost forced the case to be abandoned.

The row erupted in the case of builder Ian Beesley, found guilty of criminal damage after he used a digger to remove a speed bump. He denied the charge.

At the Labour conference yesterday, Mr Blunkett said he had "a great deal of sympathy".

At Oxford Magistrates Court today, Judge Loosely said: "I am not sure politicians should be making remarks about court cases when they are in progress.

"I had to think carefully this morning about what Blunkett said yesterday and whether it was going to affect my decision in this case.

"Politicians should butt out of these cases until they are over."

Beesley, 42, received a one-year conditional discharge and an order to pay £263 compensation.