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Animal rights rabbit farm recce trial begins
Tuesday, 3.30pm: Animal rights activists carried out a "reconnaissance" raid on a Lincolnshire rabbit farm with links to the Huntingdon Life Sciences research company, a jury was told today, Tuesday.
The four arrived at Highgate Farm near Normanby by Spital, in the middle of the night on October 13 last year.
But after getting into the premises they quickly left, knowing they were being filmed on the farm's security system, Lincoln Crown Court was told
Felicity Gerry, prosecuting, said the four, who had all travelled from the north of England, were intending to frighten the farmer into stopping supplying rabbits for research.
"It was designed to interfere with the contract by which Highgate Farm supplied rabbits to Huntingdon Life Sciences, " she said.
"The idea being to frighten the farmer into ceasing his business.
"The purpose of that visit was for reconnaissance with a view to committing criminal damage on a future date
Miss Gerry said three of the four visited the same farm a week earlier but did not enter the premises.
All four had links to the campaigning group SHAC - Stop Hunitingdon Animal Cruelty - which listed Highgate Farm on its website as a potential target for "direct action".
"It is some distance for them to travel. It is obvious they were going for a purpose and they were planning for a future attack," she added.
The jury heard how the same farm was raided in January 2008 by animal rights activists who " liberated" 129 rabbits and caused extensive damage.
Slogans were daubed on the building and paint stripper was thrown onto vehicles, including a Lamborghini..
Film of the raid was later posted on the SHAC website but none of the four in court today were linked to that raid, the jury was told.
Miss Gerry said the four involved in the October raid were captured on CCTV stopping at Birch Services on the M62 and at the farm and a nearby filling station.
The jury has been told that three men in the car have already admitted a charge of conspiracy to interfere with a contractual relationship so as to harm an animal research establishment.
They are Dean Cain ,27, of King Street, Ulverston, Cumbria; Luke Steele ,18, of Woodside View, Leeds 4; and a 17 year old boy from Urmston, Manchester;
Cain's girlfriend Victoria Waterhouse-Taylor ,18 , of Eva Street, Rusholme, Manchester, denies the same charge.
The trial continues.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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