Huntingdon Life Sciences Group Plc & Anor v Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) & Ors [2003] EWHC 1139 (QB) (16 April 2003)

Huntingdon Life Sciences Group Plc & Anor v Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) & Ors [2003] EWHC 1139 (QB) (16 April 2003)

The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 does not permit a corporation to obtain an injunction where breach would lead to criminal liability, but does permit individuals, including employees and their representative, to obtain such relief against targeted harassment. The evidence justifies interim injunctive relief against the defendants, including exclusion zones, due to the imminent threat of further harassment and the need to protect individuals from unlawful conduct.

Citation
[2003] EWHC 1139
Parties
First Claimant: 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); 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
Application for Interim Injunction / Interim Hearing Before Full Trial
Outcome
Interim injunction granted in amended terms for the protection of individual claimants and employees; not granted to corporate claimants.
Legal Topics
Protection From Harassment Act 1997, Interim Injunctions, Freedom of Assembly, Freedom of Expression, Representative Actions
Civil Procedure Tort Law Human Rights Protection From Harassment Act 1997 Interim Injunctions Freedom of Assembly Freedom of Expression Representative Actions

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Parties

Huntingdon Life Sciences Group PLC

First Claimant

Huntingdon Life Sciences Limited

First 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

Application for Interim Injunction / Interim Hearing Before Full Trial

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 applies to corporations and individuals in the context of protest-related harassment
  2. 2 Whether interim injunctive relief is appropriate against protestors and associated organisations
  3. 3 Whether the breadth of the injunction, including exclusion zones and representative scope, is lawful

Ratio Decidendi

The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 does not permit a corporation to obtain an injunction where breach would lead to criminal liability, but does permit individuals, including employees and their representative, to obtain such relief against targeted harassment. The evidence justifies interim injunctive relief against the defendants, including exclusion zones, due to the imminent threat of further harassment and the need to protect individuals from unlawful conduct.

Court Disposition

Interim injunction granted in amended terms for the protection of individual claimants and employees; not granted to corporate claimants.

Orders

  • Interim injunction restraining harassment of individual claimants and employees by named defendants and associated protestors, including exclusion zones.
  • Order to return for a full hearing in the near future.