Press release: Activists found guilty in Ratcliffe coal climate trial

As the UN climate talks finish in Cancun, and fail once again to come up with any legally binding framework to reduce emissions, the British legal system is still upholding business as usual. This can’t continue. Burning coal has no future.

14 December 2010



All 20 defendants are found guilty of Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Trespass at Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station in April 2009.

Monday 13 Dec 2010



10.00am and all back in court yet again.

10 December 2010



His Honour Judge Teare concludes his summing up and directions.

Activist speech on the Ratcliffe Trials currently being held at Nottingham Crown Court

Sophie Stevens speaking at the climate rally 4 Dec 2010

8 December 2010

Mr Rees for the defence says that there will be no more ‘live’ evidence presented.

7 December 2010



The defence continued their case. Mr Rees called a further two defendants to the witness box.

Week 2 of the Ratcliffe Trial saw the defence open their case, giving some of the defendants an opportunity to explain why they took the actions they did. Among the witnesses called was NASA scientist James Hansen, former MP for Notttingham South Alan Simpson and Green Party MP Caroline Lucas.

The Manchester Airport Trial will begin next week, with 11 defendants facing charges of obstruction of t…

2 December 2010     Nottingham Crown Court

Mr Edward Rees QC for the defence, calls the first witness of the day.  He is Alan Simpson, former MP for Nottingham South between 1992 to this last election 2010.

30 November 2010     Nottingham Crown Court

Snowing much today, resulting a couple of jury members being late to court. We eventually start after a couple of hours delay.

Tim Webb Guardian Environment

Activists accused of conspiracy to trespass were arrested before they carried out plan to force E.ON's coal plant at Ratcliffe-on-Soar to shut down

The anger of 114 activists who planned to break into a coal plant near Nottingham was understandable because of the "lies" told by governments abou…

At 11.00am barrister, Mr Edward Rees QC opens the case for the defence.

Continuing from yesterday, Barrister for the prosecution, Miss Felicity Gerry continued to hack her way in reading through the significant sized list of papers, maps, equipment and property. Laying out the sophistication of the plans.

After Monday's administrations and argument, the trial of 20 activists accused of "conspiracy to commit aggravated trespass" at Ratcliffe power station got underway properly on Tuesday, with the jury being introduced to the prosecution's main elements of the case.

On the newswire: BBC coverage of Ratcliffe Trial | First witness called for the Ratcliffe Trial | Day 2 – Prosecution’s Opening Statem…

The prosecution continued its case this morning.

23 November 2010 Nottingham Crown Court



Barrister for the prosecution, Miss Felicity Gerry continued to outline their case.

Yesterday the first witness was called by the prosecution - Raymond Smith, former plant manager at the Ratcliffe on Soar power station.  The defence probed him on E.ON's record on sustainability.

23 November 2010 Nottingham Crown Court



After yesterdays administrations and argument, today started with the jury being introduced to the prosecutions main elements of the case.

A year and a half after being pre-emptively arrested alongside more than 100 other people, 20 climate change activists began a month-long trial at Nottingham Crown Court on Monday.

On the newswire: Ratcliffe conspiracy to trespass trial opens today | Ratcliffe on Trial - Day 1 - cheap pix | Defendants & Supporters outside Nottingham Crown Court ahead of the Ratcliffe Trial today | Ratcliffe on Tr…

Sumac Centre, 245 Gladstone Street, Nottingham NG7 6HX

In the early hours of April 14th 2009 a highly expensive and widely condemned policing operation saw 114 climate campaigners arrested on suspicion of conspiring to commit aggravated trespass and criminal damage. In what has been deemed the largest ever ‘pre-emptive’ arrest, hundreds of police burst into a meeting room where plans were being made to safely shut down Ratcliffe-on-Soar, the U…

Video footage from the Climate Swoop on Saturday: Protesters battle with police to pull down a perimeter fence.