Brighton MP to stand trial in court next week

Caroline Lucas, the Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, is due to go on trial at Brighton Magistrates’ Court next week after being arrested during an anti-fracking protest.

She denies two charges – one of obstructing the public highway and another of breaching public order by ignoring a police officer who ordered her to move.

Dr Lucas was arrested by Sussex Police on Monday 19 August during a protest in Balcombe against the fracking company Cuadrilla which carried out test drilling in the West Sussex village.

Fracking – or hydraulic fracturing – is a process used to extract shale gas from deep underground.

The process is widely used in America but has proved to be controversial with critics claiming that it has led to polluted water supplies.

Cuadrilla has defended the safety record of its operations.

Sussex Police arrested 126 people during the anti-fracking protests in Balcombe last summer.

Ninety were charged although more than 40 of the cases were dropped.

Dr Lucas is expected to stand trial with four other defendants who were arrested for the same reason on the same day and who have all pleaded not guilty.

The trial is scheduled to start on Monday (24 March) with three issues in question.

The court will decide whether an order issued by the police to prevent protest was reasonable, whether it was issued effectively and whether it breached human rights laws.

A week later, on Monday 31 March, nine more protesters are due to appear at Brighton Magistrates’ Court. Among them is Kim Turner, 56, from Brighton.

All nine deny obstructing the highway and eight of the nine deny breaching public order.