Tonight:
5°c
Huntingdon Life saboteurs jailed for 'urban terrorism'
Paul Cheston, Courts Correspondent21 Jan 2009
SEVEN animal rights activists who blackmailed companies linked to Huntingdon Life Sciences in an attempt to shut it down were jailed today for between four and 11 years.
Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty conducted a six-year conspiracy between 2001 and 2007 targeting firms in the UK and Europe which either supplied or had secondary links to the Cambridge-based company.
Shac's founders - Gregg Avery, 41, his wife Natasha Avery, 39, and Heather Nicholson, 41 - led the blackmail and they were assisted by computer expert Gavin Medd-Hall, 45, who researched the victims for Shac, and three "foot soldiers", Gerrah Selby, 20, Daniel Wadham, 21, and Daniel Amos, 22.
Sentencing the group at Winchester crown court, Mr Justice Butterfield called the campaign "urban terrorism" and a "relentless, sustained and merciless persecution" which had made the victims lives "a living hell".
The campaign sent hoax bomb parcels to the homes of staff. Threats of violence were also used and Shac would not desist until the supplier issued a "capitulation statement" saying it would end links with Huntingdon Life Sciences.
The seven were convicted of conspiracy to blackmail at a trial last year. Nicholson, from Eversley in Hampshire, received 11 years, the Averys, also from Eversley, received nine years each, Medd-Hall, from Croydon, received eight years, Wadham, from Bromley, was sentenced to five years, Selby, from Chiswick, received four years, and Amos from Church Crookham, Hampshire, received four years.
The judge said he had little confidence Shac's leaders would not continue their activities when released.
Reader views (7)
Lesley and Chris, have you actually read the list of crimes these people committed. They were truly dreadful. Vindictive, nasty and nothing short of terrorism. The sentences handed down will be seen as appropriate by the vast majority of reasonably minded people in theis country.
- Dc, London, 22/01/2009 09:38
Report abuse
These people deserve every day of their sentance and should have received more. They used threating ,scaring tactics on people who did no wrong. They made people live in fear.They need to learn the art of peaceful demonstration and how to live in a democracy- if not they need locking up.
- Simon, LONDON, 22/01/2009 06:47
Report abuse
These people are bullies and anti social extremists who use the cover of a cause to intimidate, harrass and terrify innocent people. They are dangerous, and I'm glad they've been put away. Psychological warfare is just as frightening and damaging as the real sort and that should not be forgotten.
- Belinda, London UK, 22/01/2009 06:13
Report abuse
Lesley - quite how you can call these people "heroic" and "freedom fighters" after their callous and frightening actions is beyond me.
I have strong feelings on a number of issues, but these people are thugs, and got what they deserved.
- Jock, London, 21/01/2009 21:00
Report abuse
This is an utter joke, every rapist in this country gets off lightly - and people who did nothing (theratening is not exactly the same as actually doing it) have to go to prison for nine years. What a justice system!
- Chris, London, 21/01/2009 16:19
Report abuse
Heroes and freedom fighters all of them, but of course this is what we have come to expect from shambolic British justice though when it comes to dealing with those who care so much about sentient beings that they devote their lives to trying to change our cruel and exploitative society.
- Lesley, Hampton, 21/01/2009 14:54
Report abuse
I for one am glad to see these people put away. They plagued my mum with vicious letters and turned her into a quivering wreck after she mistakenly bought shares in Huntingdon thinking they were a cancer research company..although I agree with their ideas in one way.
- Michael, Strabane, Ireland, 21/01/2009 14:08
Report abuse
