The case against an anti-fracking protester arrested during demonstrations outside the Horse Hill exploratory oil site near Gatwick Airport was dropped this afternoon.
7th April 2014 The prosecution at the trial of a group of anti-fracking campaigners failed to prove they ignored police warnings that they were in breach of a condition on protesting, a court heard today.
3rd April 2014 Section 14 trial: Day four – afternoon evidence Three women arrested at a sit-down protest against fracking outside Cuadrilla’s oil exploration site at Balcombe gave evidence at their trial this afternoon.
1st April 2014 Section 14 trial: Day two – afternoon evidence A police officer on duty at the Balcombe anti-fracking demonstrations described this afternoon how he used the pressure point technique on a campaigner taking part in a sit-down protest.
12th March 2014 An anti-fracking activist who climbed a 6m scaffolding tripod to block the road outside Cuadrilla’s oil exploration site at Balcombe was found guilty of obstructing the highway this afternoon. But the judge imposed the minimum penalty after hearing that Jamie Spiers had given up the […]
13/2/14 Charges brought under trades union legislation against two anti-fracking campaigners were dropped this morning before they gave evidence in court. Robert Basto, 66, of Reigate, and Jamie Spiers, 29, of no fixed address, had denied besetting Cuadrilla’s staff, contractors and suppliers at its oil exploration site at […]
12/2/14 The use of trades union legislation to prosecute a group of anti-fracking campaigners is under review tonight. District Judge William Ashwort, is considering whether there is a case to answer against five people who took part in the Balcombe protests and were charged under Section 241 of […]
11/2/14 A group of environmental campaigners who used locks or superglue to block the entrance to Cuadrilla’s oil exploration site at Balcombe have gone on trial charged under an obscure piece of legislation designed to prevent secondary picketing. Natalie Hynde, 31, of St Leonards-on-Sea, Simon Medhurst, 55, of […]
An anti-fracking campaigner heard today (30/1/14) that his human right to freedom of speech through protesting did not give him a right to wilfully obstruct the police. Keyon Bayandor, 25, from Bristol, denied obstructing PC Michael Butler at the Balcombe protests on August 1st last year. But he […]
An environmental campaigner at the anti-fracking protests at Balcombe was found guilty this afternoon (29/1/14) of assaulting a police officer but was acquitted of resisting arrest. Tony Jones, 24, of Hackney, London, was accused of pushing Sergeant Michael Howe in the chest on August 19th last year during […]
