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Sheffield tree campaigner avoids jail

A CAMPAIGNER who breached an injunction during a protest against controversial tree felling in Sheffield had his case dismissed yesterday.

Sheffield City Council's controversial tree felling programme, part of a 25-year £2.2 billion PFI highway maintenance programme run by Amey, has triggered long-running resistance which it attempted to stop with an anti-protest court injunction.

Mr Justice Males previously ruled Paul Brooke had breached the court order by entering safety zones around trees being felled.

The council had tried to have Paul Brooke jailed after he and three others were found in contempt of court.

But the High Court found that Mr Brooke had acted on a "genuine albeit mistaken" belief that it was necessary for him to enter the zone to defend a female protester being forcibly removed by security.

Mr Brooke told the BBC that the case was "hugely stressful" but said he would continue to protest against the felling of healthy trees.

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Britain / 17 June 2021
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