animal rights threats woman jailed

Animal rights threats woman jailed

Urgent ELP! Bulletin (19th of November 2007)

Dear friends

ELP has just learnt that British animal rights activist Deborah

Morrison has been sentenced to 8 months imprisonment for her

anti-vivisection activities.

We don't know where she is being held. If anyone knows her or knows

where she is, please contact ELP as soon as possible. Below is a

mainstream media article about her:

http://www.thisisdorset.net/display.var.1840677.0.animal_rights_threat

s_woman_jailed.php

Animal rights threats woman jailed

A protester from Crossways who waged a five-year campaign of blackmail

and terror on people connected with animal research companies across

many parts of England has been jailed for eight months.

Deborah Morrison, 35, of Egdon Glenn, pleaded guilty at Stafford Crown

Court to six charges of blackmail, three of interference with

intention

to cause harm to animal research, two attempted interference and one

attempted blackmail between January 2001 and October 2006.

Two blackmail charges involved the company of David Hall, the

son-in-law

of 84-year-old Gladys Hammond, whose remains were taken from her grave

at St Peter's Church, Yoxall near Lichfield, in October 2004.

Her remains were recovered early in October 2006 after Mr Hall decided

to close his Darley Oaks guinea pig-breeding business at Newchurch

near

Lichfield.

Judge Simon Tonking told Morrison: "It is plain you were acting on

your

own in isolation and you were not a member of an animal rights

organisation.

"But the fact is that for a period of five years you sent a variety of

threatening letters and emails to 11 separate people involved in

providing services for businesses involved in scientific research in

which animals were used.

"They were innocent people. Your threats were reinforced by sending

white powder in envelopes which, in fact, was harmless.

Your intention, quite plainly, was that they take them as something

more

sinister. They were told the expect a visit from a car bomb and death

threats were taken to be just that.

"You were beligerent and ruthless and intended to change the ways

families lived. Through no fault of your own you have psychiatric

problems."

Peter Grice, prosecuting, said John Goodyear, a vet who treated

domestic

animals at the Darley Oaks business, got two letters and was told to

stop doing that business with animal killers. You have been warned'.

Mr

Grice said white powder in one letter turned out to be starch.

Isabella Forshaw, defending, said: "She must be given full credit for

her pleas made in truly daunting circumstances.

"She is a very vulnerable person. She has had a very restricted and

very, very abnormal pattern of life."

Head of the Public Order and Protest Unit for Staffordshire Police

Inspector David Bird said: "Morrison carried out a widespread campaign

of intimidation over several years. She sought to cause financial loss

to companies engaged in lawful business, and caused genuine fear for

dozens of staff and their families."

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Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network

BM Box 2407

London

WC1N 3XX

England