15 activists cleared over 'locking on' at Yorkshire's Drax power station
The case has been thrown out over a lack of evidence
Fifteen activists have been cleared over alleged plans to "lock on" at the UK's biggest power station last summer.
A court heard police from across the country were involved in the operation over protest activity around the Drax power station in North Yorkshire.
Twelve defendants were arrested on August 8 at Bentley Urban Farm in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, and three were arrested on the same day on the A645 at Goole, East Yorkshire.
Between them they were accused of having items including climbing ropes, ladders, bolt cutters, glue, gaffer tape, metal poles and a map with Drax power station marked.
The case has now been dismissed on day two of a two week trial at Leeds Magistrates Court because of issues with the evidence presented.
Defendant Phil Ball, who is part of the Reclaim the Power campaign group, said: “We were pre-emptively arrested under a law written by a right wing think tank bought and paid for by fossil fuel money."
"A law forced through Parliament by a Home Secretary from the Tory party bought and paid for by fossil fuel money.
"It was misused by the police and then despite having no evidence the CPS for some reason pursued this ridiculous case.
"The original police operation was a shocking waste of taxpayer money. This preposterous case was a further waste of taxpayers money alongside our own and the courts time at a time when there’s a judicial backlog.
"But more than that it’s part of a strategic attack on our democratic rights to peaceful protest.
"Whilst it is of course a welcome decision the question remains why was this absurd case ever taken this far.”
Among those cleared are:
Elizabeth Irving, 23, from Fulbourn, Cambridgeshire,
Arlan Jones, 25, from Hackney, east London,
Rose Armitage, 22, from Headingley, Leeds
Shaunna Lee Rushton, 33, from Sheffield
Max Connor, 30, from Headingley, Leeds
Simon Roscoe Belvins, 32, from Sheffield
Laurence Wright, 18, from Oxfordshire
Huw Birch, 37, from Sheffield
Philip Edward Ball, 54, from Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire,
Rosalind Monaghan, 23, from Leyburn, North Yorkshire
Sean Irving, 26, from Hull
Hannah Crowther, 25, from Hillingdon, north-west London
Joseph Henry Faire, 22, from Sheffield
Adam Woods, 27, from Winchester, Hampshire
Heather Taylor, 22, from Shirrell Heath, Hampshire