Former parliamentary candidate accused of defacing Treasury walls

An environmental campaigner who stood as an independent parliamentary candidate last year for the Hampstead and Kilburn seat has appeared in court charged with criminal damage.

Tamsin Omond, of Oxford Road, Kilburn, is accused of spraying graffiti onto the walls of the Treasury on March 22 - the eve of the Budget.

The 26-year-old granddaughter of baronet Sir Thomas Lees is claimed to have teamed up with two friends to protest against George Osborne’s plans to delay funding for the Green Investment Bank (GIB) to fund environmentally friendly projects.

They are said to have spray painted a picture of the chancellor with a quote from his manifesto pledge: ‘A Conservative Treasury will drive green growth...by financing a green recovery’.

In an earlier court appearance, the trio were told the Crown Prosecution Service was considering whether to issue a caution but today (Tuesday) they heard they would face criminal charges.

Osmond, Sally Cole, 26 and Jennifer Sherriff, 24, both from Finsbury Park, appeared before Westminster Magistrates Court where they spoke only to confirm their names and dates of birth.

Defence counsel, Charlotte Peeversy, acting for all three women asked for an adjournment as they would be seeking a judicial review.

She said: “The criteria as to caution has been misapplied.”

The CPS allege the three did not cooperate with the police by making no comment during their interviews, but Ms Peeversy said they all handed in prepared statements admitting their involvement.

District Judge John Zani granted the adjournment until May 10 to give time for either the CPS to reconsider the decision or for a judicial review.

Omond, who was educated at �9,800-a-term Westminster School and Cambridge University, is the founder of action group Climate Rush.

She came seventh out of the eight candidates with 123 votes.