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Ben Cullen, a member of Raise the Colours Oxfordshire, has been charged with making indecent images of children, with the alleged offences taking place in Wallingford on 25 March 2021. He is due to appear at Reading Crown Court for his hearing on 1 July.
Ben Cullen is scheduled to appear at Reading Crown Court on 1 July regarding allegations of making indecent images of children. Oxfordshire County Council recently secured a High Court injunction to prevent Cullen and others from hanging flags on public structures due to associated safety concerns.
Following the allegations against Ben Cullen, the wider Raise the Colours group distanced itself from him, stating, “This is the first time we have learned of the matter.” In response to safety concerns related to flag installation, Oxfordshire County Council secured a High Court injunction against flag-raising on public structures, with Councillor Tim Bearder emphasising that such behaviour is “unlawful” and has caused distress within local communities.
What remains unclear — It is not specified how the allegations against Ben Cullen may impact the future activities of Raise the Colours Oxfordshire.
Raise the Colours member charged with making indecent images of children
A man belonging to a flag activist group is due to appear in court after being accused of making indecent images of children.
Ben Cullen, from Wallingford, has been charged with three counts of making indecent images.
The 45-year-old is said to have made 22 indecent category A photographs, including one moving image.
The offence allegedly took place in Wallingford on March 25, 2021.
He is also accused of making 36 indecent category B pseudo-photographs of children, and 20 category C images on the same date, the Oxford Mail reports.
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A pseudo-photograph is an image created using AI or graphics tools, and even if the original picture was not of a real person, it falls under the law.
Cullen is due to appear at Reading Crown Court tomorrow, Wednesday.
Cullen is said to be a leading figure in Raise the Colours Oxfordshire branch.
The grass-roots movement gained traction last year for hanging flags in the wake of anti-immigration protests across the UK.
The wider Raise the Colours group appears to have distanced itself from Cullen following the allegations.
It said in a statement on social media: ‘Raise the Colours wishes to make clear that we were not aware, and have never previously been aware, of the allegations reported concerning Ben Cullen (Raise the Colours Oxfordshire).
‘This is the first time we have learned of the matter.’
The post said Cullen ‘was not affiliated with Raise the Colours’ and that sometimes members of the movement may have put flags up with him ‘but this does not mean he represented, was part of, or was affiliated’ with the movement.
It continued: ‘We take allegations of this nature extremely seriously. As this is now a matter before the courts, it would not be appropriate for us to comment further on the specifics of the case.’
Oxfordshire County Council took measures to stop flag-raising on lampposts and roadsides.
The council won a High Court injunction last week against Cullen, Kevin Good, Ryan Bridge, Trudy Wells and any individuals trying to hang flags on public structures or harassing staff removing them.
It comes after locals from Adderbury to Wallingford had complained about ‘safety risks, intimidation and distress’ linked to illegal placement of flags.
Councillor Tim Bearder, the leader of the county council, commented on the High Court decision: ‘We’re pleased with this result. The injunction helps protect our residents and our workforce and supports our responsibility to keep the highway safe.
‘This is not, and never has been, about the flag. We proudly fly the Union Flag and St George’s flag at County Hall and we fully support the right of residents to display their own flags – including to show their support for the England football team.
‘However, the behaviour we’ve seen from Raise the Colours is nothing to do with national pride or with support for the England team during the World Cup. It’s unlawful behaviour, which has put people at risk and caused fear within our communities for almost a year.’