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Animal Rights protester walks free
Friday, 11am: AN ANIMAL rights protester accused of taking part in a "reconnaisance raid" at a Lincolnshire rabbit farm has walked free from court after a judge stopped the case.
Manchester student Victoria Waterhouse-Taylor had admitted travelling to Highgate Farm, near Normanby-by Spital, with three other activists during the night of October 13 last year.
It was alleged all four friends had links to the campaign group SHAC -Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty - which listed Highgate Farm on its website as a potential target for "direct action."
But Judge Robert Alan Brown, sitting at Lincoln Crown Court, directed the jury to return a not guilty verdict on Waterhouse-Taylor after ruling there was no evidence of any loss or damage to the farm.
Judge Brown said: "The farmer himself confirmed that they had suffered no damage on that occasion. He said he did not feel his company would go out of business as a result of the trespass on his land on that date.
"I am not saying this in any way to exonerate, applaud or excuse the behaviour of somebody who trespasses on another person's land, less so in camouflage in the middle of the night."
Waterhouse-Taylor's former boyfriend, Dean Cain (27) of King Street, Ulverston, Cumbria, has admitted conspiracy to interfere with a contractual relationship, together with Luke Steele (18) of Woodside View and a 17-year-old boy from Urmston, Manchester, who can not be named. They will be sentenced at a later date.
Waterhouse-Taylor (18) who was living in Eva Street, Rusholme, Manchester, while studying politics and media at City College, denied the same charge.
During the trial the jury heard evidence from the farmer, who was granted anonymity by the court, who described how his Lamborghini sports car was damged and over 100 rabbits were released during a previous attack on the farm.
But giving evidence, Waterhouse-Taylor insisted that during her visit to the farm there was no intention of "intimidating" the farmer by deliberately letting him know of their presence on the property.
"We wore dark clothing, we didn't have any intention of making our presence known, we did not want the farmer to know we there," Waterhouse-Taylor told the jury.
Waterhouse-Taylor denied a prosecution suggestion that the group was engaged in a "reconnaisance raid" on the farm in preparation to cause future damage.
"Our intention was to have a look around the farm, not to disturb him, so we decided to wait until hopefully he was asleep," Waterhouse-Taylor added.
Speaking after the case a delighted Waterhouse-Taylor said: "I think the legislation is prejudiced against animal rights people so me being found not guilty is a small and significant victory.
"I am very happy. I am pleased with the outcome, and it was the right outcome."
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Weather for Market Rasen
Saturday 26 May 2012
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