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September 13, 2008
Three Cheers for Juries
The threat of global warming is so great that campaigners were justified in causing more than £35,000 worth of damage to a coal-fired power station, a jury decided yesterday. In a verdict that will have shocked ministers and energy companies the jury at Maidstone Crown Court cleared six Greenpeace activists of criminal damage.
Jurors accepted defence arguments that the six had a "lawful excuse" to damage property at Kingsnorth power station in Kent to prevent even greater damage caused by climate change. The defence of "lawful excuse" under the Criminal Damage Act 1971 allows damage to be caused to property to prevent even greater damage – such as breaking down the door of a burning house to tackle a fire.
The not-guilty verdict, delivered after two days and greeted with cheers in the courtroom, raises the stakes for the most pressing issue on Britain's green agenda and could encourage further direct action.
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/cleared-jury-decides-that-threat-of-global-warming-justifies-breaking-the-law-925561.html
Posted by craig on September 13, 2008 11:00 PM in the category UK Policy
Comments
Glad to see your post on this topic. Juries seem in need of defence just now. http://freecommonwealth.blogspot.com/2008/09/law-indifferent-to-blame-or-praise.html
Posted by: kazbel ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/nav-commenters.gif)
at September 13, 2008 11:48 PM
Similar Irish case in 2006.
Reference below is to critical commentary but it sets out the facts and gives links to source material.
http://www.lawsocietyblog.com/archives/253
Posted by: Benny the Bridgebuilder at September 14, 2008 12:41 PM