Four anti-frackers guilty of obstructing highway

The four all maintained they were not on the A583 Blackpool to Preston to Blackpool road outside the Cuadrilla gas exploration site at Little Plumpton.

They disputed the position of a blue line painted by Lancashire County Council staff which was the dividing line between the road and Cuadrilla’s land.

However, Blackpool Magistrates ruled that the line was properly drawn after hearing evidence from the county council’s highways engineer, Paul Smith

The four in the dock were Louise Castro, 57, of Dugdale Close, South Shore; Richard Holloran, 52, of the same address; Jeanette Porter, 32, formerly of St David Road South, St Annes now of no fixed address and Diane Steels, 57, of Fairview Crescent, Bacup.

They were all found guilty of obstructing the highway.

Castro and Steels were each sentenced to a 12 month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £70 costs. Holloran was given an 18 month conditional discharge and must pay £70 costs.Porter was given a 24 month conditional discharge and pay the same costs.

The court heard how the four locked on in pairs on April 11 this year.