Huntingdon Life Sciences Group Plc & Anor v Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) & Ors

Huntingdon Life Sciences Group Plc & Anor v Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) & Ors

The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 does not permit an injunction at the suit of a corporation, but does permit relief for individuals targeted by harassment. The evidence establishes an arguable case of targeted harassment against employees, justifying an interim injunction, including representative and exclusionary terms, pending a full hearing.

Parties
First Claimant: Huntingdon Life Sciences Group PLC; Second Claimant: Huntingdon Life Sciences Limited; Second Claimant: Brian Cass (for and on behalf of the Employees of the First Claimant pursuant to CPR part 19.6); First Defendant: Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) (for and on behalf of its members and all protestors conducting activities against the Claimants pursuant to CPR part 19.6); Second Defendant: Greg Avery; Third Defendant: Natasha Avery (aka Dallemagne); Fourth Defendant: Heather James (aka Avery); Fifth Defendant: Lynn Sawyer; Sixth Defendant: Joseph Dawson (aka Dziurzynski); Seventh Defendant: Sarah Margaret Brown; Eighth Defendant: Donald Currie; Ninth Defendant: Claire Percy; Tenth Defendant: Sarah Gisborne; Eleventh Defendant: London Animal Action; Twelfth Defendant: Animal Liberation Front
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
16 April 2003
Procedural Posture
Civil Application / Interim Injunction Application
Outcome
Interim injunction granted in amended terms
Legal Topics
Protection From Harassment, Injunctions, Representative Actions, Freedom of Assembly, Freedom of Speech
Civil Procedure Tort Law Human Rights Protection From Harassment Injunctions Representative Actions Freedom of Assembly Freedom of Speech

Case Brief

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Parties

Huntingdon Life Sciences Group PLC

First Claimant

Huntingdon Life Sciences Limited

Second Claimant

Brian Cass (for and on behalf of the Employees of the First Claimant pursuant to CPR part 19.6)

Second Claimant

Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) (for and on behalf of its members and all protestors conducting activities against the Claimants pursuant to CPR part 19.6)

First Defendant

Greg Avery

Second Defendant

Natasha Avery (aka Dallemagne)

Third Defendant

Heather James (aka Avery)

Fourth Defendant

Lynn Sawyer

Fifth Defendant

Joseph Dawson (aka Dziurzynski)

Sixth Defendant

Sarah Margaret Brown

Seventh Defendant

Donald Currie

Eighth Defendant

Claire Percy

Ninth Defendant

Sarah Gisborne

Tenth Defendant

London Animal Action

Eleventh Defendant

Animal Liberation Front

Twelfth Defendant

Procedural Posture

Civil Application / Interim Injunction Application

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 applies to protect corporations and/or individuals from protest-related harassment
  2. 2 Whether an interim injunction should be granted against the defendants to restrain harassment
  3. 3 Whether the injunction can be drawn widely to cover unidentified protestors and exclusion zones

Ratio Decidendi

The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 does not permit an injunction at the suit of a corporation, but does permit relief for individuals targeted by harassment. The evidence establishes an arguable case of targeted harassment against employees, justifying an interim injunction, including representative and exclusionary terms, pending a full hearing.

Court Disposition

Interim injunction granted in amended terms

Orders

  • Interim injunction granted restraining the defendants from harassing the second claimant and employees of the first claimant, including exclusion zones, pending a full hearing.