One of the protesters against a coal seam gas test well at Glenugie in December last year had charges against them dropped in Ballina Local Court yesterday.
Around 10 others are still facing charges of attempting to obstruct a vehicle. The defence team are hoping the charges can all be heard on the same day.
Last month two of the protesters, Alan Roberts and Bradley Rankin, faced the bizarre situation of police dropping the original charges against both men and subsequently introduced a single new charge at the eleventh hour of attempting to ‘attempting to obstruct a driver’.
At the time, the activists’ solicitor told Echonetdaily the new charge is intended to ‘stop people trying to wash car windows at intersections’.
Solicitor Philip Wykeham said the change of charge suggested police were ‘clutching at straws’.
The case is now due for mention on 26 August in Lismore Local Court.
