http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/27/nhodge127.xml
Margaret Hodge 'shocked by handcuff protest'

September 27, 2007 The Telegraph (UK)--- Margaret Hodge, the former children's minister, was "shocked and distressed" at being ambushed and handcuffed by two fathers' rights protesters, she told a court. Miss Hodge said she was "completely taken aback" after the men mounted the stage to place handcuffs on her at a Law Society conference.

Jason Hatch, 35, of Cheltenham, Glos, and Jonathan Stanesby, 41, of Ivybridge, Devon, deny false imprisonment after the incident at the Lowry Hotel in Manchester in 2004. Both were members of the group Fathers 4 Justice, and wanted to gain publicity for their cause, the court heard. Miss Hodge was handcuffed to Stanesby for 20 minutes and had to be freed with bolt cutters in what she described as a "cold and calculated attack".

She told the court that she had sat down after giving a speech to 200 lawyers when she noticed two men entering the room. "They walked in a few paces, they then rushed at me, one grabbed each arm. One of them shouted something like, 'Margaret Hodge, I am arresting you for child abuse'. That was the start of the scuffle."

In the melee it is alleged Hatch was pushed away from the MP for Barking, but Stanesby managed to manacle himself to her. "I was aware he took a handcuff out and put it around my arm.

"I then realised I was handcuffed to the other man. I was obviously completely taken aback. I did have a pain in my wrist for about six months afterwards. He was trying to talk to me and I just thought I was not going to engage with him at all. He wanted to talk about access to children, fathers who had been separated from their spouses or partners."

"I was really shocked and distressed and did not really know what to do."

David Gottlieb, defending Hatch, said one purpose of the conference, entitled Battle Of The Sexes, was to talk about a new Green Paper discussing fathers' access rights and reform of the 1989 Children's Act. He disputed that Hatch had laid hands on the minister.

Asked why she decided to be a witness in the case, Miss Hodge said it was her "public duty" to act as a witness to protect other elected representatives from such actions.

The case continues.