Yet another Barton Moss protector was found `not guilty' today, and five more cases due to be heard tomorrow have now been dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), as prosecutions against Salford anti-fracking protests are in meltdown.
There have now been sixteen cases lost or dropped by the CPS, as the arrests by Greater Manchester Police and its Tactical Aid Unit at Barton Moss are being shown to have little foundation. There has only been one successful prosecution from the very first trial when the protector defended himself and, given the subsequent court rulings, he is likely to appeal the Salford Star understands.
On anti-fracking Facebook sites this evening, some campaigners were ecstatic while others wanted their day in court to show what they say is the `ludicrous' circumstances of their arrests.
"The decision not to proceed with these recent cases is welcomed and entirely correct" says Simon Pook of Robert Lizar Solicitors, which has been representing the majority of the arrested Barton Moss campaigners.
"On Friday, Richard Brigden our Garden Court North barrister made closing submissions that appear to have reverberated around the decision makers at the CPS" he adds "It should not be lost that the position taken by Robert Lizars all along since November 2013 was that our clients' fundamental rights to peaceful protest was unlawfully interfered with in a disproportionate manner. Clearly all of these developments will form part of the dossier I am compiling for the United Nations."
With more cases due to be heard later this week, it remains to be seen whether the CPS will proceed…
See also previous Salford Star articles on the Barton Moss trials – click here and click here and click here
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