Court:
|
CoL court 1 |
Hearing date:
|
17 January 2023 |
Bench (DJ or JPs)
|
DJ Davis |
Charged with:
|
Obstructing the highway |
Represented by:
|
Self-representing |
Please outline key points in prosecution and defence cases.
|
Notes from November 2022.
At the start of the case, Jenny Winter (Birds solicitors) explained that the defendants who were self-representing – 6 in total – had not received the body warn footage. The court was adjourned so that all defendants could view the footage.
It later emerged that the CPS had not sent all the police statements they relied upon to the defendants. There was a further adjournment so that the CPS could copy the statements and give them to the defendants over lunch.
When the court returned, Defendant said there was insufficient time to consider the bundle and felt that this meant they would not have a fair trial. The DJ quoted Article 6 of the EU Human Rights Act which states that defendants should have sufficient time to prepare.
It was agreed that the CPS would continue their case, then the case would be adjourned to allow the defendants time to read the papers. Jenny Winter requested that the CPS send a CD of the body worn footage to the defendants. The DJ agreed this should be received by them by 4pm 17th December.
The trial was adjourned until 17th January at CoL
Notes from January 2023 The DJ has asked the defendants not to go over the science of the climate crisis and the CPS said that that evidence was a given. Defendant said that the climate crisis is created by humans. She admitted being locked-on around the limo on 16th April 2022 at Marble Arch. She argued that it was the police who were creating the obstruction by imposing a cordon. The first police officer to speak to her was the arresting officer. There was no note of her arrival time and she could not be certain how long she had been there but it was probably four and a half hours. |
Was defence evidence submitted in writing?
|
Yes |
Did defence witness(es) give evidence in person? Were they cross-examined?
|
Yes |
What was the verdict?
|
Not guilty |
What was the sentence?
|
|
What were the court costs?
|
|
Please add anything else relevant.
|
The DJ agreed that she was certain that the motivation for the protest was genuine and the time she was involved in the protest was proportionate |
Charge
Outcome
Court date