A fourth Extinction Rebellion appeal has been won after the Crown again dropped its opposition.
Helen Allen, 66, of Sturton by Stow, in Lincolnshire, was convicted of obstructing Horse Guards Road by St James’s Park in Westminster without “lawful authority or excuse” on October 9 2019.
In February, she was handed a conditional discharge and ordered to pay £450 costs.
Today, Friday August 6, Alex Slater, for the Crown, said it would not be contesting the appeal and her conviction was quashed.
It is the fourth Extinction Rebellion appeal to succeed uncontested in as many days.
Earlier this week, the Crown Prosecution Service began a case by case review of appeals to be heard by a tribunal headed by Judge Mark Dennis QC in light of a recent Supreme Court ruling.
Tom Wainwright, for the appellant, told the court: “Ms Allen travelled from Lincolnshire. It is somewhat disappointing the decision was only communicated to us at around 10.15am that the case was not being contested.”
He said he had raised the impact of the Supreme Court ruling in written legal argument in advance of the hearing and also made a “compelling” argument that Horse Guards Road was not a public highway.
The CPS is expected to update the court on its review on Wednesday.
The court heard that it would not be fighting a fifth appeal due to be heard that day and the appellant would be told in advance.
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