A Heidelberg Materials UK subsidiary whose bailiffs served a \u201cfake\u201d eviction notice on protestors who threatened to blow up its quarry could face contempt of court proceedings.<\/p>\n
Hanson Quarry Products Europe Ltd is taking three protesters to court for allegedly breaching injunctions banning them from blocking its premises in Pontypridd, Wales, and trespassing.<\/p>\n
Kylie Davies, Darren Jones and Dale Vincent are accused of ignoring those orders during protests in May and June 2025.<\/p>\n
However, Mr Justice Ritchie, sitting at London\u2019s High Court, raised concerns that a \u201cfake\u201d eviction notice was served on the protesters using an imitation of the court\u2019s royal crest in a red circular seal referencing Cardiff County Court.<\/p>\n
He told Hanson he is considering referring the firm, along with bailiffs Able Investigations, which it used to serve the notice, to the attorney general to consider bringing contempt proceedings against them.<\/p>\n
The judge said the notice was a \u201cclumsy\u201d attempt to \u201cmislead members of the public that the notice had more authority that it really did\u201d, namely that it had come from a judge at Cardiff County Court.<\/p>\n
\u201cA close reading of the notice of course showed that it did not, but members of the public who are protesting and trespassing may not all be lawyers,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHigh Court and County Court bailiffs or enforcement officers are appointed by the courts. They can have those appointments revoked. I may consider referring Able to the relevant officers for considerations of such a move.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe \u2018seal\u2019\u2026 may constitute a contempt of court and I may refer the notice to the attorney general for consideration of bringing contempt proceedings against the claimant [Hanson] and\/or Able.\u201d<\/p>\n
The hearing has been adjourned to allow Hanson and Able to submit evidence to the court about the alleged false use of the royal seal.<\/p>\n
During a two-day hearing last week, the judge determined there are four issues in the case that need to be decided.<\/p>\n
Aside from the notice, these include whether the orders were correctly served and personally served on the defendant;, whether the defendants breached the orders; and whether two of the defendants, Jones and Vincent, were bound by the orders.<\/p>\n
The case arises out of protesters setting up camp at the quarry in March 2024 preventing Hanson\u2019s staff from carrying out their work.<\/p>\n
The firm, which produces 8,000 tonnes of sandstone for highways and airport runways, claims the disruption caused it losses of up to \u00a3100,000 a day.<\/p>\n
The protests began after the Welsh Government granted planning permission for an extension to the quarry works.<\/p>\n
The judge said Hanson did not take legal advice but instead contracted Able Investigations to remove the protesters.<\/p>\n
Able produced an eviction warning notice and, with police present, on 26 March 2024 used \u201csome physical force\u201d to remove them, the judge added.<\/p>\n
Hanson obtained two High Court injunctions on 6 May 2024 and another on 5 June 2025 to prevent people from blocking access to the quarry after it said threats had been made to blow up the site.<\/p>\n
The firm alleges the orders were breached on 27 May 2025 and 18 June 2025 and filed contempt proceedings with the High Court.<\/p>\n
After hearing evidence, the judge determined that the protesters did block site traffic.<\/p>\n
However, the injunctions were in force for \u201cunknown persons\u201d and at the time of the 2025 incidents the judge said Jones and Vincent were \u201cwell known\u201d to the company but were not named on the order.<\/p>\n
The judge said he wishes to hear further submissions from Hanson on whether Jones and Vincent came within the definition of \u201cunknown persons\u201d or fall outside it before he makes a final decision in the case.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A Heidelberg Materials UK subsidiary whose bailiffs served a \u201cfake\u201d eviction notice on protestors who threatened to blow up its quarry could face contempt of court proceedings. Hanson Quarry Products Europe Ltd is taking three protesters to court for allegedly breaching injunctions banning them from blocking its premises in Pontypridd, Wales, and trespassing. Kylie Davies, …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":155153,"featured_media":460161,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[578,57171],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-536895","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-legal","category-supply-chain"],"yoast_head":"\n