[Ammi]

Three men have been charged under a 200-year-old law for taking items of food from a skip behind a branch of Iceland.

The trio were charged under the 1824 Vagrancy Act after being found in "an enclosed area, namely Iceland, for an unlawful purpose, namely stealing food".

One of the three, Paul May, reportedly took some tomatoes, mushrooms and cheese.

According to the Guardian, May will argue he was taking the food because he needed it to eat. He does not believe he has done anything illegal in removing food that was destined for landfill.

May, 35, was arrested on 25 October 2013 along with Jason Chan and William James. All three are residents of a squat in Kentish Town, north London.

They were caught after a member of the public called the police to report three men climbing over a wall at the back of Iceland.

The total value of the items taken allegedly amounted to £33.

Police officers returned the items to the supermarket, while the men were held in a police cell for 19 hours before being released.

Lawyers for the trio have asked the Crown Prosecution Service to consider dropping the case. But the CPS is pressing ahead with the case, as it believes "we feel there is significant public interest in prosecuting these three individuals".



http://news.uk.msn.com/uk/three-char...iceland-store/