Animal activists in legal battle.TWO animal rights activists have launched a High Court battle against police. Trevor Holmes and Kerry Duggan, of South Tyneside, are suing for wrongful arrest. The pair are among 15 campaigners who are seeking pounds 250,000 from a police force for false imprisonment false imprisonment, complete restraint upon a person's liberty of movement without legal justification. Actual physical contact is not necessary; a show of authority or a threat of force is sufficient. The person falsely imprisoned may sue the offender for damages. , breach of human rights, malicious prosecution An action for damages brought by one against whom a civil suit or criminal proceeding has been unsuccessfully commenced without Probable Cause and for a purpose other than that of bringing the alleged offender to justice. and assault and battery in the wake of a demonstration which descended into chaos. The alleged incidents happened when the antivivisection An`ti`viv`i`sec´tion n. 1. Opposition to vivisection. group Speak, had been protesting against animal testing outside a theatre in Oxford. Mr Holmes, 51, of West Boldon in South Tyneside was arrested at his North home 15 days after the protest and charged with breaching the Public Order Act and obstructing the highway. However, when he finally faced court a year after the ugly scenes erupted at the June 2006 demo, he and 13 others walked free after a judge condemned police for unlawfully halting the protest. |
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