Council seeks to extend legal injunction against protests for further three years

SHEFFIELD COUNCIL is seeking to extend a High Court injunction banning ‘direct action’ protests against the removal of trees for a further three years.

Letters have been served on 10 tree campaigners asking them to sign new undertakings not to breach the injunction by entering ‘safety zones’ around trees due to be felled.

The council won an injunction last year which attempts to stop protests in which campaigners, who believe healthy trees are being removed unnecessarily, would stand directly under threatened trees to prevent them being felled – a tactic that had previously used on hundreds of occasions.

The injunction is due to expire on July 25. But the letters from the council’s assistant director of legal services Steve Eccleston, which were sent out on Thursday, state: “The council intends to make an application to the High Court, the effect of which would be to renew the injunction for a further three years.”

Those sent the new letters have been given until Thursday, June 28 to inform the council whether they will sign new undertakings. The letters state: “If you do provide such an undertaking, the council will not seek legal costs from you.”

Earlier this month, the council applied to have four protesters sent to jail for contempt after they were accused of breaching the injunction.

A judge found Simon Crump, Benoit Compin and Fran Grace had breached the injunction, with the first two receiving suspended prison sentences and no further action being taken against Grace.

But the case against Paul Brooke was dismissed this week. The three found to have breached the injunction are expected to face thousands in legal costs from Sheffield Council, with a ruling on this still to be made.

Coun Lewis Dagnall, cabinet member for environment, said no further court cases are planned but the extension of the injunction is required to prevent the potential of future disruption. He said he hopes ‘compromise from all sides’ will mean the injunction will not have to be relied upon.