The trial of the police officer accused over the death of Ian Tomlinson at the G20 protests in April 2009, has been set for October 2012.

The date was set on Friday morning at Southwark crown court and means the trial will not take place until three and a half years after Tomlinson died.

PC Simon Harwood is charged with manslaughter over the death and was caught on video striking Tomlinson with his baton.Tomlinson, a 47-year-old newspaper seller, collapsed and died at the demonstration over the G20 summit, near the Bank of England on 1 April 2009, moments after being struck with a baton and pushed to the ground.

Harwood was on duty as clashes broke out between demonstrators and police. He is currently suspended from duty.

Tomlinson collapsed and later died. The criminal trial next year is scheduled to take place at Southwark crown court.

Julia Tomlinson, the widow of Ian, condemned the decision to hold the trial in October 2012 as a "mockery".

In a statement she said: "This is a disgrace and we all feel devastated. When the Crown Prosecution Service told us in May this year that they intended to prosecute, the impression was that it would be scheduled for this year as there had already been a long wait and they recognised how agonising that was for us.

"We have already waited two and a half long years and our lives are on hold in the meantime. If there are problems with the proposed barristers' availability, why can't others be appointed? This makes a mockery of the justice system."