Six Individuals Convicted Following Dairy Blockade Trial

Six individuals have been found guilty in connection with a blockade that occurred at a Muller dairy site located in Worcestershire. The incident took place in September 2022 when activists affiliated with Animal Rebellion obstructed the Droitwich dairy. This action was part of their broader campaign advocating for a shift towards a plant-based food system. During the protest, participants ascended trucks, milk silos, and loading bays. Additionally, some individuals affixed themselves to the ground with glue and secured themselves to fences using chains. Sentencing for the six individuals who were convicted, along with a seventh person who previously admitted guilt, is scheduled for February. The charges involved causing a public nuisance and conspiracy to commit criminal damage. Similar actions also targeted Muller plants located in Gloucestershire and Somerset, alongside Arla’s milk factory in Buckinghamshire. Worcester Crown Court, on Thursday, found Ben Pattison, 31, of Sunderland; Ash Faulkner, 32, of no fixed abode; Lawrence Smith, 33, of Manchester; Yves Tchapda, 29, also of Manchester; and Sarah McCaffery, 21, of Glassford, Strathaven, guilty of intentionally or recklessly causing a public nuisance. Pattison, Faulkner, Smith, Tchapda, and Kat Chan, 23, of Glasgow, were also convicted on charges of conspiracy to commit criminal damage. Charges of possessing an article with intent to destroy or damage property led to the conviction of McCaffery and Chan. The sentencing for all six individuals, in addition to Jack Flemming, 27, who had earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit criminal damage, is set for 7 February 2025.