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More on KentOnline
Four men have appeared in court after a brawl at a baby's inquest.
A small army of police descended on Archbishop's Palace on November 8 in what is believed to be the first time in living memory that police had to be called to a Kent inquest.
A total of two marked cars, two police vans, and 14 police officers attended and four men were arrested.
The fight, in which chairs were thrown and a police officer was grabbed by the shirt, broke out during a break in the hearing for one-year-old Jimmy Robinson.
Coroner Ian Wade told the court he had been made aware of an act of intimidation against a witness before the incident unfolded.
Baby Jimmy died in June 2017 after suffering a possible cardiac arrest at his mother's home in Institute Road, Chatham.
Mum, Jordan Beck paid a loving tribute to her son following the turbulent hearing.
The infant's father and grandad Tommy and James Robinson, his mother's partner Joe Elkington-Rose, and Shane Ince appeared at Maidstone Magistrate's Court all charged with affray.
James Robinson, 51, of North Dane in Chatham, was also charged with assaulting a police officer.
Prosecutor Paul Edwards said: "During a break in the proceedings Mr Elkington-Rose refused to go into the court to give evidence.
"James Robinson went to speak to him in a side room. During that talk they started to shout."
"At that point they all rushed into the room and the situation escalated with chairs being raised."
The prosecutor alleged Elkington-Rose and Tommy Robinson threw chairs and James Robinson grabbed hold of a police officer's shirt.
Tommy Robinson 22, of Connaught Road in Chatham, and Shane Ince, 33, of Wayfield Road - also in Chatham, decided not to enter a plea to their charges of affray.
James Robinson also did not enter a plea to his charge of affray but pleaded not guilty to assaulting a police officer.
Elkington-Rose, 24, of St Paul's Close in Strood, pleaded not guilty to a charge of affray.
All four are due to appear at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday, June 7.
