Third Battle of Newbury

Today Deputy Judge Sir Peter Webster heard Plaintiffs The Secretary of State for Transport and Costain Civil Engineering Ltd apply for injunctions against ten Newbury Bypass protestors at The High Court, London. Bypass protester Wayne Jordan was the only defendant present.

Also today, at 7.00 a.m. an unusually large number of police and security assembled at the Gotan protest camp in the northern part of the bypass route. An eviction situation where protestors homes and personnel effects could have been damage or destroyed had been expected. Many of the injunctees are Gotan residents and feared their absence would allow the eviction to proceed. Although the compound adjacent to Gotan was enlarged, none of the trees with their tree houses and ground benders were touched.

Alex Wynton, her arm locked into a concrete tube at Gotan said,

At the High Court hearing the Deputy Judge seemed to recognise that injunction papers had not been served on three of the ten defendants: Peter Lowry, Lucy Chalmers, Matthew Cameron James. Bray's Detective Agency, contracted by the Department of Transport had attempted to serve papers by leaving three unidentified boxes in the Newbury Friends of the Earth office. Although protestors on occasion visit The Newbury Friends of the Earth Office there is no guarantee of visitation by any particular individual.

A verdict is expected tomorrow. The hearing continues tomorrow at 10.00 a.m., room E119, The High Court, London.

Further Information: Third Battle of Newbury Office 01635 45544