Mark Guard, 44, Makes Documentary Films,

this time about crime and homeless squatters, whilst he was was filming squatters as they entering a disused building through an open window at 10pm on August 1, a alarm was triggered, note, neither the squatters nor Mark broke the law in entering the house, naturally as the alarm sounded the squatters had it away on their toes, Mark however, a former electrician, decided to stay behind and turn off the alarm to save neighbouring families from the noise, to do so he had to turn on the electricity in the building for a few seconds, to give him light, and then turn it off, that was when 9, yes 9 police officers charged in and arrested him and held in a cell for six hours before being charged, and the charge? stealing electricity worth 0.003p, in his defence he offered to pay the electricity company 1p, but they were having none of it, they wanted their pound of flesh and their day in court, not bothered about collecting such a paltry sum, but that was over how many times what they took him to court for? at his first magistrates' court hearing last week, the film-maker pleaded not guilty and asked for the case to be tried at a crown court so a jury could decide, He said last night: 'When I told the chairman of the bench I wanted a jury trial, he began to realise the ludicrous nature of the case, He said: "Why is this going to a trial in the crown court when it's going to cost £200,000?".' but Mr Guard had to appear again in front of Highbury Magistrates in North London, before the charge was dropped, experts estimate that the court hearings cost taxpayers £4,200 - Mr Guard's legal bills were paid from public funds - a night in police cells added £385 and the arrest operation around £600, common sense prevailed at last!