Prosecution zeal

THE British High Court yesterday criticised an “overzealous” council’s decision to prosecute a motorist for advertising two cars for sale by putting notices in the car windows.

The London borough of Newham took local government worker Johnson Onasanya to court, accusing him of “unlawful street trading”. He was convicted on one count, but acquitted on the second.

But Lord Justice Maurice Kay said the appeals were “a graphic illustration of what can happen when a prosecutor becomes overzealous”.

As well as quashing the conviction, the judge ordered the borough to pay Mr Onasanya’s legal costs.