A man from Southampton has gone on trial accused of blackmailing entertainment venues to force them into cancelling shows by the controversial commentator Katie Hopkins.
The Alleged Campaign of Intimidation
Oliver Hutchings, 31, is facing four counts of blackmail at Southampton Crown Court. The prosecution alleges that he waged a targeted campaign against venues in Hampshire and Lancashire that had booked Hopkins for her comedy and talk show tour in 2022-23.
Jurors heard that Hutchings allegedly contacted the venues through a combination of phone calls, emails, and Facebook messages. He is accused of making menacing demands, threatening to disrupt the performances and launch campaigns aimed at shutting down the businesses if they did not cancel Hopkins' appearances.
The court was told that specific threats included having people inside the venues "shouting, whistling and letting off party poppers" to sabotage the events. Hutchings also allegedly warned he would flyer outside the businesses and post about them in online groups.
Motive and Community Representation Claims
Simon Jones, prosecuting, stated that Hutchings' motive was his objection to comments Hopkins had made about gay and transgender people, dementia patients, and stay-at-home mothers. Hutchings, who is a gay man and was raised by a single mother, claimed his actions were on behalf of the LGBT community.
The prosecution detailed how Hutchings allegedly told one venue, "If you think I will give up, you are very very wrong. I will not stop until the evening is cancelled or your business is shut down." He also reportedly boasted of using similar tactics against venues that had booked comedian Jim Davidson.
Consequences and Defence Arguments
The campaign allegedly had its intended effect. The Attic in Southampton and the Joe Longthorne Theatre in Blackpool both cancelled the planned Hopkins shows after receiving the communications from Hutchings.
However, the prosecutor emphasised that Hutchings had "crossed a line" from protest into criminality. "He could have done what so many others did and just not gone. It is not for Mr Hutchings to cancel anyone or to protect anyone," Jones told the court.
In his defence, barrister Audrey Archer argued that Hutchings believed the theatres were unaware of Hopkins' views and that he was attempting to spare them from potential reputational damage by informing them. Oliver Hutchings denies all four counts of blackmail and an alternative charge of causing a public nuisance. The trial is expected to last for one week.
