Vegan student, 26, who ‘poured milk over two high-end London department stores in a protest against dairy products’ denies theft and criminal damage
- Animal Rebellion activist Sofia Fernandes Pontes, 26, appeared at court today
- Pontes , from Islington, is charged with two counts of criminal damage
- Relating to cheese valued at £273.35 at Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason carpet
- She denied these charges as well as charge of stealing over £70 worth of milk
Animal Rebellion’s Sofia Fernandes Pontes, 26 from Islington, outside Westminster Magistrates’ Court today
A vegan student has denied stealing milk and causing criminal damage by pouring milk over two high-end department stores in central London protests last month.
Sofia Fernandes Pontes, 26, from Islington, is accused of targeting Fortnum & Mason and Selfridges on October 7.
She is charged with two counts of criminal damage, relating to cheese valued at £273.35 belonging to Selfridges, and to a carpet of unknown value at Fortnum & Mason.
The second count alleges that she ‘without lawful excuse damaged carpet to the value unknown belonging to Fortnum & Mason intending to destroy or damage such property or being reckless as to whether such property would be destroyed or damaged’.
Pontes is also charged with two counts of theft after she allegedly stole milk valued at £38 from Fortnum & Mason and £34.52p worth of milk from Selfridges, the court heard.
Wearing a pink jacket and skirt and green top, she spoke to confirm her name, age and address, and plead not guilty to the four either way offences at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today.
She was released on conditional bail, with conditions including that she must not enter either Selfridges in Oxford Street or Fortnum & Masons in Jermyn Street before her next court hearing.
Sofia Fernandes Pontes, 26, from Islington, is accused of targeting Fortnum & Mason and Selfridges on October 7
Pontes will next appear at Southwark Crown Court on December 7
Sofia Fernandes Pontes, 26, from Islington, is accused of targeting Fortnum & Mason and Selfridges on October 7
She will next appear at Southwark Crown Court on December 7.
Pontes is a student and mother from the Portuguese island of Madeira, and provides educational classes to new parents after she launched her own business teaching ‘Zumbini’ – a music and movement programme for young children.
She is an Islington-based BA psychology student at London Metropolitan University where she has been studying since last year, and is also president of the Climate Justice Society at the students’ union.
She is also an instructor of Zumbini, which is a music and movement programme for young children, and founded Parezy, an app described as a ‘virtual one-stop service provider for families with children in the early years sector’.
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