More than half the people charged with offences at protests near Angus Energy’s Brockham oil site near Dorking in Surrey have had their cases dropped before they got to trial.
Prosecutors told Redhill Magistrates Court this morning they were withdrawing the cases against five people, involving seven charges.
Another four cases will go ahead. All the people involved in them have pleaded not guilty.
Magistrates heard that the dropped cases involved Gillian Horn, Sarah Rogers, Jackie Hamlin and Amanda Wheatland, all from Dorking, and Patrick Horne, of Balcombe, West Sussex. All five had denied the charges against them.
Pictured (front from left) Jackie Hamlin, Amanda Wheaton, Gillian Horn, Lesley Bucknell and (behind from left) Patrick Horne and Chris Cook
Cases going ahead involve Chris Crook, of Dorking, Tamla Hunter, of Manchester, Lesley Bucknell, of Worcester Park, and Callum Eden. They all pleaded not guilty. Mr Crook, Ms Hunter and Ms Bucknell were charged with obstructing the highway near the Brockham site on various dates in January. Ms Hunter and Ms Bucknell were additionally charged with resisting a constable. Mr Eden was charged with tampering with a motor vehicle.
The four were remanded on unconditional bail until a case management hearing at Guildford Magistrates Court on 18 April 2017.
Categories: Legal
DRILL OR DROP? 
The intimidation of peaceful concerned members of the public by the police has again been shown to be a waste of time , no convictions yet for slow walking in nearly 100 cases while Angus Energy reply with a Tweet? Hmm i doubt that will be enough somehow , if i was an investor i would be pursuing Angus , not the media . #clutchingatstraws .
Quite right John, up north we anticipate that various people will be pursuing Cuadrilla and that man in London for selling them a pup too!
SPF (Angus Security Ltd) achieved their goal. Bail people off site during the duration of the protest and deter other members of the public from taking action. In other words, attempt to bully people out of their human right to protest under articles 10 & 11 of ECHR. I hope all defendants take civil action against SPF.
This is not fracking and it has been there for 30 years. Whilst I admire the determination of protesters, it would be better than imported oil produced under bad production conditions- no doubt thousand of barrels came in that day. Planning permission could have been better handled though.
Reaction of some of the defendants
Some good points raised.
Is there a case here for wrongful arrest and intimidation or harassment?
Sadly the Russian oil came in at an enormous rate that day, un-interrupted, the regime got paid and genuine state persecution of political prisoners using the Russian police continues.
And that is an excuse to carry out the same state persecution here is it?
Reblogged this on andrewjwallwork.
Not reblogged at all, if you want to read it, read it here.