Permission to appeal to Supreme Court granted in protest case

The Supreme Court has granted permission to appeal in a case concerning the elements of the statutory offence of public nuisance, following an application by Benjamin Newton KC, Laura Stockdale and Maria Liddiard. The appellants were tried for an offence of public nuisance relating to their involvement in a protest at the entrance to private premises. Laura and Maria, representing two of the appellants at trial, successfully argued that there was no case to answer at the close of the Crown’s case. The Court of Appeal subsequently allowed a prosecution appeal against the terminatory ruling but, following an application by Ben, Laura and Maria, certified a question of general public importance.