Trans-Action demo trio fined
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• by Charles Young
Two policemen involved in last April's fuel duty pretest acted like "Starsky and Hutch" before telling hauliers: "F"— the law lords, we are the law," Milton Keynes magistrates heard last week.
Gary and Karl Donaldson from Finedon Bulk Haulage and Joe Cook from Joe Cook Transport had been stopped by Thames Valley Police for blocking the M1 southbound carriageway and driving at walking pace.
The three Trans-Action members were charged with driving without reasonable consideration for other road users while on their way to Park Lane, London for a national day of protest.
When defence barrister Rejeev Shetty asked Cook to describe what had happened, Cook replied that the police had reversed up the middle of the motorway before "[they] spun the car round and smoked the tyres like Starsky and Hutch'.
Asked to continue, Cook said he could not because there were ladies present. When Shelly persisted Cook said: "He then asked me 'what the f"" are you doing?'."
Gary Donaldson told the court: "They stopped like the Dukes of Hazard. Then there was an accident on the north
bound carriageway. The actual bump happened as they screeched to a halt."
Donaldson described how he had shown PC Keith Lavery a document which contained evidence of a Law Lord's ruling concerning the right to peaceful protest on a public highway. 'His words were r*" the Law Lords, we are the law'," said
Donaldson. When Shelly asked Lavery if he remembered saying this, Lavery replied: "Absolutely not at all."
Under cross-examination Cook was asked why he couldn't have made his point at 40 or 50mph. He replied: "Have you tried getting through to this Government? Nobody takes any notice of you."
The three are planning to appeal after being found guilty and fined £100 each with three points on their licences.
After the trial the magistrate thanked the lawyers for the "very professional way in which they dealt with what can only be described as a difficult case".
• After the trial Cook and Donaldson slammed TransAction members for failing to turn up and support them. Only three hauliers, John Yosper from Vesper Transport, owner-driver Pete Parry and Richard Pinny from Merrick Transport, were present.