Tom represented Laura Hughes, an environmental activist, charged with aggravated trespass.
The case related to an incident in which Ms Hughes and her co-defendant, Ms Green, had taken direct action at a protest against construction work on the High Speed 2 rail project in the Colne Valley, north west London.
Both defendants had stopped digging work from taking place because of their concerns about pollution being caused to an ancient chalk aquifer underneath the surface, storing a significant amount of London’s drinking water, and concerns about destruction to the habitat more broadly, which was home to a number of endangered species. Ms Hughes had locked herself to a JCB.
After a two day trial at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court both Ms Hughes and Ms Green were acquitted because of uncertainty as to whether the land that they were on at the time was in the possession of High Speed Rail 2 Limited.
Tom was instructed by Abigail Ashford of Reeds Solicitors.
The case was reported in the Guardian.
Tom Orpin-Massey