Star date: 7th May 2014

THREE MORE INNOCENT BARTON MOSS PROTECTORS

Today at Manchester Magistrates Court, the judge dismissed cases against three more anti fracking protectors arrested by Greater Manchester Police at Barton Moss.

The three were originally charged with obstructing the highway which was later changed to obstructing a police officer. Dismissing the charges, the judge said he found the case `astonishing'.

Full details here…

Three Barton Moss protectors – Pete, Lisa and David – had their cases dismissed at Manchester Magistrates Court this morning after a one and a half day trial.

They were originally charged by Greater Manchester Police with `obstructing the highway' following a slow walk in front of lorries heading to the IGas exploratory drilling site on Barton Moss Road on November 27th. But this was subsequently changed to `obstructing a police officer', after a judge had ruled that Barton Moss Road wasn't a `highway'.

"We told the court from the beginning that this was not `obstruction of the highway' and, from February, we made an application to say that changing of the charges wasn't fair" Simon Pook of Robert Lizar Solicitors told the Salford Star this afternoon "Today our position was accepted by the courts. The position adopted from the very beginning by Robert Lizars has been vindicated by the court and we welcome the verdict on this case."

Today's verdict makes a total of five Barton Moss protectors found not guilty in the two cases defended by Lizars during the last week (see previous Salford Star article – click here), leading to many anti-fracking campaigners believing that the arrests were political. Indeed, during today's trial, officers said that they were `detailed to carry out arrests of individuals' – basically officers on the front line were told which protectors to `target'.

During the hearing, one of the officers in the front line when the arrests took place wasn't called to give evidence for the prosecution; instead officers were called who weren't actually on the front line – and in his summing up the judge said that he found the absence in court of key officers `astonishing'.

A post on one of the many Barton Moss facebook groups today stated "Despite six police officers testifying against them, not a single defence witness was called due to the case having so little evidence! Justice prevails again for Barton Moss! We are winning! xxx"

With cases being dismissed, campaigners are now beginning to question the cost to the public of arresting protectors in the first place and bringing them to court on charges that the courts are throwing out.

* The three innocent protectors were represented in court by barrister Richard Brigden and Rachael Andrews from Robert Lizar Solicitors.