A Barnet councillor charged with assault will now not face trial until May after his hearing was rearranged for a second time.

Councillor Brian Coleman faces charges of assault by beating and driving without reasonable care following an altercation with café owner Helen Michael in Finchley High Road on September 20.

The former borough mayor, who denies the offences, has been suspended from the national Conservative party over the allegations.

The trial had been postponed until April 24 as the district judge at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court had been double booked.

The court confirmed today that it has since been pushed further back to Friday May 3, at the same location.