Case against Swansea press photographer thrown out

A press photographer who was arrested while covering a fire at a car dealership has had his conviction thrown out.

Dimitris Legakis, from Swansea, was found guilty by magistrates last year for what has now been described as making “insulting comments” to emergency officers at the scene of the blaze at Day’s Motorpark in Gorseinon in August 2024.

Prosecutor Alexandra Wilson told Swansea Crown Court that after reviewing the evidence and talking to witnesses, opposing the appeal was “no longer in the public interest”.

Another public order allegation against Mr Legakis was thrown out in court last year in what a judge described as “a disturbing” case.

Mr Legakis, a freelance photographer who runs the Athena Picture Agency in Swansea, was arrested while covering the fire which damaged more than 20 vehicles.

Representing Mr Legakis, defence barrister James Hartson said his client was an “accredited, respected freelance photojournalist” and had lost work following the conviction.

“This is the second time in he’s been dragged into the criminal court for what appears to be ‘upsetting’ a police officer,” Mr Hartson added.

Mr Hartson told the court it was time the police realised “it is not a criminal offence to be insulting”.

“That appears to be the test which is applied to Mr Legakis at every time he appears at a scene of an incident to do his job.

“There is a clear infringement of his human rights. If police don’t agree with him, they lock him up and throw him in a van,” he added.

On Friday, Judge Huw Rees told Swansea Crown Court there was “no longer a conviction” against Mr Legakis as he permitted the appeal.

The prosecution told the court there was “not enough evidence” and it did not meet the test of the Section 5 Public Order Act.

Judge Rees told the court he understood Mr Hartson’s “passion” and asked why the case had not been reviewed sooner.

“We have little alternative other than to allow the appeal,” he told Mr Legakis.