Assault cases against export man dismissed
Assault cases against export man dismissed
THE transport manager of animal exporters Farmers Ferry has been cleared of assaulting two animal rights protesters.
Two charges of common assault were dismissed after a hearing at Brighton magistrates court on Monday.
The charges related to an incident earlier this summer when about 50 protesters against live exports gathered outside Glenn Dudleys home in Hove, West Sussex.
At the time, Mr Dudley was transport manager of Brindie, the company since bought by the Farmers Ferry consortium.
Mr Dudley, who retained his job after the buy-out, claimed some of the protesters tore down his fence and threw stones, smashing a window in his house. He added that a Mercedes car parked in his driveway was also damaged.
The protesters claimed the demonstration was peaceful and lawful, but Mr Dudley had sprayed two of them with water.
Mr Dudley pleaded not guilty to the charges, saying he was only defending his property. He acknowledged that the two demonstrators were protesting peacefully.
The case was dismissed after magistrates heard that since 1995 regular animal rights protests had been held outside his home.