Coal Train Occupiers Plea Hearing

by: Milan Rai

Yorkshire: The 29 climate activists who occupied and partially emptied a coal train on its way to Drax power station on 13 June 2008 appeared in Selby magistrates court today (18 August 2008) to register their pleas.

The magistrate invited them to give an indication of their pleas, and also said that there would be no case heard today. No one gave the court an indication that they intended to plead guilty; many people gave an indication that they intended to plead not guilty - one person was absent from court.

The magistrate said that the matter was so serious it should be heard at crown court. The committal hearing will be on 7 October in York.

Bail conditions banning defendants from entering the Hoo peninsula - aimed at preventing their participation in the Camp for Climate Action - were dropped, as were the extra bail conditions placed on Paul Morozzo, imprisoned for breaking these bail conditions between 4 and 11 August (in HMP Wandsworth).

No issues were raised in relation to the other six defendants who openly broke the bail conditions, but who were permitted to enter Climate Camp by police incompetence.

The 13 June coal train action was covered on Indymedia:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/06/401022.html

The 4 August bail-breaking was covered on Peace News:
http://www.peacenews.info/news/article/425

A short film about the bail-breaking is on YouTube:
http://www.tinyurl.com/peacenews001