A peace campaigner and former Big Brother star has been sent for a jury trial - for allegedly stealing a police baton.

Vocal Leytonstone resident Carole Vincent was arrested while protesting at an anti-war demonstration, for allegedly swiping a metal baton that a police officer had dropped.

Ms Vincent appeared at Southwark Crown Court where she pleaded not-guilty to the offence.

On hearing an outline of the case, Judge Martin Beddoe asked the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to note that he considered the trial ‘a waste of public money’, when the country is in an economic crisis.

However the CPS wishes to proceed with the prosecution for theft, and a date for a two to three-day trial has been set to start on February 23.

The 54-year-old, who appeared on the Big Brother reality show last year, said: “They are alleging that I took a baton that was knocked out of an inspector's hand and passed it to someone in the crowd.

"But I have got a defence and will stand up to them. I may end up with a conviction for theft, but at some point I will make a complaint against the Met Police.

“But I am hoping that the prosecution will take the comments of the judge back to the CPS and they will not proceed.”

The former foster carer, who unsuccessfully ran as a Leyton ward council candidate for MP George Galloway's Respect Party, was among 2,500 anti-war protesters in Parliament Square on June 15.

She was demonstrating alongside Bianca Jagger, Tony Benn, Kate Hudson and George Galloway against US president George Bush, who was visiting Prime Minister Gordon Brown at the time.

Scotland Yard said 10 police officers suffered minor injuries during the demonstration, and police made 25 arrests.

Ms Vincent was initially arrested and charged with theft of a police baton and violent mis-conduct, however, the latter charge was later dropped.

Last month, the Guardian reported that another Leytonstone resident who was at the protest, Maureen Stephenson, of Norman Road, plans to sue the Met Police for ‘man-handling’ demonstrators.

But the Met Police maintain the officers’ response was “entirely proportionate” in reaction to criminal provocation