Sumac Centre, 245 Gladstone Street, Nottingham NG7 6HX

This morning (Wednesday 11th January), electricians at Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station joined a national day of action, the latest in a series of protests against a proposed working arrangement which they claim would see their wages cut by a third.

The first of twelve official reports resulting from the public outing of undercover police officer Mark Kennedy and the subsequent collapse of the trials of 26 climate change activists has been published. The report claims that there was no “dishonest withholding of information” and no “systemic” failings, a conclusion the CPS have been happy to repeat. Critics of the report have dismissed it …

18th January Nottingham Crown Court [Day 17]



From the first trial the previous 18 of the 20 defendant had already been sentenced on the 10th January.



The remaining 2 had to appear at Court 5, Nottingham Crown Court today.

The Met Police are facing serious questions and the threat of an investigation into the role of one of their undercover officers. PC Mark Kennedy infiltrated activist groups between 2003-2009. On Monday, the second trial relating to planned action at Ratcliffe on Soar power station collapsed after the prosecution offered no evidence. This is believed to be an attempt to conceal the extent of …

Today was to have been the beginning of a trial of a further 6 people arrested during the police Operation Aeroscope

The second Ratcliffe conspiracy trial, due to start today, has collapsed after defence lawyers demanded information on undercover police officer Mark Kennedy.

On Wednesday 5th January, the defendants in the Ratcliffe Trial were sentenced. The judge spoke highly of the defendants describing them as ""honest, sincere, conscientious, intelligent, committed, dedicated, caring"." Five were given community orders ranging from 18 to 90 hours to be carried out within 12 months. The remaining thirteen all received conditional discharges ranging from 18 months to…

Final statement from the Ratcliffe defendants: post sentencing

5th January 2011



The Judge described Ratcliffe power station activists as "honest, sincere, conscientious, intelligent, committed, dedicated, caring". That they acted with "highest possible motives".

After a 3 week trial and 3 days of deliberation for the jury, 20 climate activists were found guilty of conspiring to commit aggravated trespass today. The defendants were amongst 114 activists arrested at a Nottingham school in April 2009, on the verge of taking action to shut down the Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station. Over the course of the trial the jury heard evidence from a raft of expert…

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.

9 December 2010



Miss Felicity Gerry for the prosecution begins her speech to the jury.

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.

6 December 2010



Mr Rees for the defences calls Prof. Ian Roberts. He is Professor of Epidemiology and Public health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.  Widely published and contributed to issues on health issues and debates worldwide.  Active research interests in the links between fossil fuel energy use, climate change and human health, contributing work to the World Health Or…

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.

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

Ratcliffe Trial suspended for three days and The Power Station continues to contribute emissions.

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.

The BBC have outdone themselves with their report on the opening of the Ratcliffe trial, claiming, "More than 1,000 people took part in the protest at the Nottinghamshire plant." (I append a screenshot in case they get around to correcting the article.)

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.