Street Trees Legal Fund 2 (Rustlings Rd)

Aim

Legal costs for Street Tree Campaigners

On behalf of the Sheffield Trees Action Groups (STAG) I am calling for funds to meet the legal costs and any fines for three people arrested on Rustlings Rd, Sheffield on 17 November 2016 when protesting about street tree fellings. They have each been charged with public order offences although their behavious on the day appears to have been perfectly reasonable, especially given the shocking circumstances of the pre-dawn raid on their street.

This follows on from an earlier Crowdfunder appeal for the same purpose, which was wound up with £545 collected when no charges were made in November/December 2016.

The money will be used for the legal costs of the defence for the three people arrested and charged with public order offences. Any surplus will be used for other legal costs of the campaign, including supporting any other people who may be arrested for taking peaceful action to oppose street tree fellings. Any money remaining after the campaign is wound up will be donated to a legal charity.

The amount sought is based on advice from the defendents' solicitors, who are making a monthly admin charge but giving their legal services free. They have also factored in court costs and possible fines.

We raised approx £3500 for the Marden Rd appeal (The solicitors thought £3000 was needed) and another £500 in the first appeal for Rustlings Rd which we halted at the point that charges didn't seem likely. So we are asking for another £4000 which is roughly pro-rata for the new three defendants.

The money collected will be administered by myself, Chris Rust, together with Helen McIlroy, Chair of the Save Nether Edge Trees group. We have asked Dr Elizabeth Clough, a retired Senior Civil Servant, to act as Trustee to ensure that the money is used in the way intended.

This project successfully funded on 11th February 2017