Andrew Mitchell’s former colleagues in the whips’ office do not believe his account of Plebgate, describing it as “extraordinary”, a court heard today. Tory MP John Randall claims “Mr Mitchell told me he could not recall what he said to the officer” in a whips meeting at the time. Michael Fabricant told the court of his reaction to seeing the former Chief Whip’s verbatim account of the incident at the gates of Downing Street in the Sunday Times: “I found Mr Mitchell’s account surprising and somewhat amusing”. The court also heard evidence from protection officer Duncan Johnston, who recalled Mitchell refused to shake his hand the first time they met, instead telling him “you must be the hired muscle”. Johnston alleges Mitchell was “prone to temper tantrums” and was “verging on out of control”. Judgements are expected on Thursday. The case continues…