In a brief statement released by Lancashire Constabulary (Lancs) on 24th March, 2023, it was confirmed that ‘a 53 year old man from Ormskirk was arrested on suspicion of common assault, harassment and stalking and was bailed, with conditions until June, 2023’. Their spokesperson added: ‘Enquiries are ongoing’.
This added to a response to specific enquiries made of Greater Manchester Police (GMP) press office during the previous day in which it was confirmed, by a spokesperson for the force, that Paul Ponting (pictured above), who describes himself as a ‘social media influencer’ had been arrested by a GMP officer and taken to Preston police station where, GMP said, he was processed and being dealt with by Lancs officers.
The assault allegation is understood to be connected to at least one incident outside a courtroom at Manchester Civil Justice Centre, following a hearing in which he is defendant in an on-notice Injunction Application. Proceedings are expected to be resumed in the near future after an adjournment on 9th March, 2023.
It is alleged that Ponting, also a Director of a computer consultancy, Ormskirk-based Danoli Solutions Ltd., has, over the *past four months (*this was mistakenly reported earlier as two years), aligned himself closely with a long-term unemployed Tameside man, Raja Miah, who is currently on both police and court bail, with conditions, over separate allegations of malicious communication(s) and harassment respectively (read more here).
In the latter proceedings, a pre-trial hearing has been listed for 9th August, 2023 at Bolton Crown Court (read more here). There have been ten previous plea and case management hearings, in three different courts, over the same proceedings which is believed to be a record in Greater Manchester court history (read more here).
Amongst other matters, police are currently looking at the Ponting/Miah links in the light of the latter’s bail conditions, following a complaint by a witness in that trial, and, GMP say, a further allegation against Ponting over malicious communications.
Since his release from custody on Thursday afternoon, Paul Ponting has provided running commentary on social media over his arrest and a subsequent search of his property and some of the items discovered (and undiscovered) by the police. Some of that output has led to at least one further complaint to the police. His bail conditions include not contacting the complainant either directly or indirectly or making reference to the complainant on social media.
The matters referred to in this article concern live criminal and civil proceedings. As such, comments on it are closed.
Page last updated Sunday 26th March, 2023 at 0825hrs
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Picture credits: The Ormskirk Vigilante
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