TV licence evader refused to pay because the 'BBC covered up facts about 9/11 and claimed tower fell 20 minutes before it did'

• Tony Rooke represented himself at Horsham Magistrates' Court in Sussex
• Told inspector on visit in May 2012 that he would not be paying licence fee
  
• Rooke said he was withholding fee under Section 15 of Terrorism Act 2000
• This states it's an offence for someone to provide funds used for terrorism
• He said he didn't want to give money to an organisation 'funding terrorism'
• Rooke said BBC claimed World Trade Centre 7 fell 20 minutes before it did
• But judge made Rooke pay £200 costs and gave him conditional discharge

Wouldn't pay: Tony Rooke (pictured at Horsham Magistrates' Court today), did not want to give money to an organisation 'funding the practice of terrorism'

A 49-year-old man refused to pay his TV licence because he believed the BBC covered up facts about the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Tony Rooke, who represented himself today at Horsham Magistrates’ Court in West Sussex, said he did not want to give money to an organisation 'funding the practice of terrorism'.

Rooke, who admitted owning a TV and watching it without a licence, was found guilty of using an unlicensed set, given a six-month conditional discharge and told to pay £200 costs.

He was visited in May 2012 by an inspector after withdrawing his licence in March, but said he was withholding the funds under the Terrorism Act.

Section 15 of the 2000 Act states that it is an offence for someone to invite another to provide money, intending that it should be used, or having reasonable cause to suspect that it may be used, for terrorism purposes.

'I am withholding all funds from the BBC, the Government and subsidiaries under Section 15 of the Terrorism Act,’ he told the inspector.

He added that he had already lodged a complaint with the BBC.

Rooke told the court: 'I believe the BBC, who are directly funded by the licence fee, are furthering the purposes of terrorism and I have incontrovertible evidence to this effect. I do not use this word lightly given where I am.'

He was not allowed to show his pre-prepared video evidence in court because the District Judge said it was not relevant to the trial.

But the major point Rooke said he relied upon was that the BBC allegedly reported that World Trade Centre 7 had fallen 20 minutes before it did.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2284337/TV-licence-evader-refused-pay-BBC-covered-facts-9-11.html#ixzz2enPz3PHi