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Sean Kirtley Released From Prison After Appeal Victory!

SSAT | 17.09.2009 18:06 | Stop Sequani Animal Testing | SOCPA | Animal Liberation | Repression | Social Struggles | Birmingham

THE FINAL NAIL IN THE SOCPA COFFIN

SEAN WAS RELEASED TODAY ATER BEING FOUND NOT GUILTY IN THE COURT OF APPEAL. MORE DETAILS WILL FOLLOW.

SSAT

Comments

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About

17.09.2009 18:16

 http://supportsean.wordpress.com/

Support Sean
- Homepage: http://supportsean.wordpress.com/

Wow!!

17.09.2009 18:56

Great news! Will he be able to sue them?

Rod

FANTASTIC NEWS!!!!

17.09.2009 18:56

This is the best bot of news I've heard in ages. Well done Sean! Lets hope he gets a big amount of compensation for having been illegally imprisoned and maybe the coppers should be charged with Malicious Prosecution. Good to see that all who pleaded not guilty were in the end found innocent. Well doe to the Court of Appeal judge/s for seeing through the propaganda from the pharma companies.

Another nail in the coffin of NETCU finances.

happy happy

Update for NETCU

17.09.2009 19:01

NETCU bragged about this on their website. Therefore it's only right that pressure should be brought on them to update their news section with the fact he was found not guilty.

Well done Sean, you are a hero for standing up to injustice and not giving up as so many others would have,

Web Watcher

Good

17.09.2009 19:16

Finally! Perhaps now the police will now accept that it is not a crime to attend protests and update a website.

Glad to hear he's out though.

ARA North

Justice

17.09.2009 19:41

Brilliant news!

It is good to see this law challenged, and I hope those involved in his unlawful prosecution will be held to account for what they have done to an innocent person.

Maria

at last some good news

17.09.2009 20:22

So happy to read this. Good on yer, Sean.
xxx

v gan

At long last!

17.09.2009 20:33

Absolutely brilliant, well done Sean xxxxxxxx

Gemma Astbury

Good news

17.09.2009 20:58

Sean, WELCOME BACK!!!!!!! Well done for handling the whole thing so bravely.

co-op worker

Great news!

17.09.2009 21:06

Now let's free the SHAC 7 as well! Same story, more media hype...

veg@n

not quite

17.09.2009 21:46

im a shac activist and supporter through and through but you comment about the cases being "the same thing" is quiet frankly, wrong. both cases are completly different.

RE:VEG@N

Disagree

17.09.2009 23:24

- Severer laws ('conspiracy to blackmail' rather than SOCPA Section 145)
- Severer fallacies (accused of forming a criminal organisation rather than criminally protesting)
- Severer sentences (upto 11 years instead of a maximum of 4.5)

But same principle - locking up legal anti-vivisection campaignes because they are effective.

I mean it's the the same story (incentive), but via a different angle...

veg@n

Great news!

17.09.2009 23:49

If you're reading this Sean I just want to say cogratualtions and best of luck in suing them for a small fortune!

Never met you but...

in solidarity

actually

17.09.2009 23:53

it was never alleged in the SHAC7 trial that SHAC was a criminal organisation

pedant

To Sean

18.09.2009 03:01

To Sean,

you are an inspiration to us all.

It is great to see that when good people stand up for what is right justice is eventually done. Your are a fatastic person Sean. The world ad the animals need brave souls like you.

Well done you came out into freedom with your head held high.

I am glad that there are judges out there that are still honest, thank you the appeal court.

NFC

Shac & Sequani

18.09.2009 06:08

The big difference is that an number in the Shac trial pleaded guilty - it's hard to appeal then.

Digger

So happy!

18.09.2009 07:05

Sean - free at last - fantastic! Glad i don't get to write to you anymore!
Thinking of you back with your family...x

anon

Promoted media...

18.09.2009 23:45

...why does it exist when SOCPA prisoners are released after appeal and get no mention.

@

Very Newsworthy

19.09.2009 08:57

Indeed, Sean Kirtley was the only person convicted under this act after pleading innocent. There's something wrong with a law when th only people convicted are the ones who have plead guilty (presumably under pressure).

Good on Sean for standing up to the bullies.

How do we force NETCU to update their news page? That page is really not used it's an intimidation tactic and news like this will show how little power they really have.

an important case

updating NETCU

26.09.2009 15:18

We've written to NETCU and got them to change their website in the past - or at least take down old articles on arrests were people had their charges dropped. Write to NETCU and copy the letter into the Chief Constable fo Cambridgeshire police and the IPCC. Anyone and everyone can do it.

FTP

updated NETCU website (day after ruling)

19.10.2009 23:52

Date: 18 September 2009

Sequani campaign Court of Appeal ruling

A Malvern man has had his conviction under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (SOCPA) overturned at the Court of Appeal.

Sean Kirtley, 43, was acquitted of conspiring to interfere with the contractual relationships of an animal research organisation by the Court of Appeal.

Another man, David Griffiths, 40, originally pleaded guilty to two counts under SOCPA. His appeal was allowed on one count, but dismissed on the second.

The men were arrested as part of Operation Tornado, which looked into incidents of intimidation and harassment linked to an animal rights campaign against Sequani Ltd and other businesses in Herefordshire. Police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incidents.

A spokesman for NETCU said: "The police service makes every effort to facilitate peaceful, lawful protest wherever it occurs.

"We fully recognise that the majority of animal rights campaigns are conducted lawfully, and we will continue to work with forces to ensure that the right to protest is upheld.

"However we also remain committed to protecting those engaged in lawful business from unlawful intimidation and harassment. Where there is evidence of an offence, the police will take proportionate action against suspects.

"Ultimately, it is for the courts to decide whether or not there is enough evidence to convict."


s'all dust