Help Cathy, Olly and Sally take action against the Met

We (Cathy, Oliver and Sally (Bells)) were arrested by the Met Police and accused of Perverting the Course of Justice after we put up posters close to court buildings to share information with the public, including those using the courts, about the important principle of jury equity.

What is jury equity?

Jury equity is a fundamental part of the British Justice system and has been enshrined in law for centuries. What it means is that juries have an absolute right to acquit (find not guilty) a defendant on their conscience.

This principle was established in the 1670 trial of two Quakers, William Penn and William Mead, whom the jury acquitted in the face of judicial pressure to convict (Bushell’s case 124 ER 1006). A plaque is displayed at the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey) to this day, commemorating the “courage and endurance” of the jury in that case, and confirming the principle it established, which is that juries have the right to give their verdict according to their convictions.

More information about the principle of jury equity and the importance of juries in upholding the rule of law, and as a crucial safeguard against state abuses of power, can be found here on the Defend Our Juries website.

Our arrests

Each of us was unexpectedly arrested (for “Perverting the Course of Justice”) in April 2023 and detained in police custody for several hours whilst our homes were raided and searched by officers. Cathy was arrested inside the Old Bailey and walked past the famous Penn and Mead jury equity sign as the police took her away!

The background to these events was a series of jury trials happening at Inner London Crown Court where Judge Silas Reid, presiding over criminal trials of supporters of Insulate Britain, had banned defendants from using the words “fuel poverty” and “climate change” in their defence. People who explained their motivations to the juries at their trials were sent to prison for weeks on end after using these phrases in court.

After our arrests we were given far-reaching pre-charge bail conditions such as, “not to display a sign within 100 meters of a court building”, before the investigation was quietly dropped by the Met Police seven months later, in November 2023.

Why are we taking action against the Met Police?

Citizens should not be arrested and threatened with serious charges for sharing information with the public about their rights. Perverting the Course of Justice carries a maximum sentence of LIFE imprisonment. The Met Police must not be allowed to get away unchallenged with making arrests where there is no basis in law.

The High Court ruled in April last year that the actions of Trudi Warner, who held up a similar sign outside Inner London Crown Court, were lawful, and that the Solicitor General’s attempt to prosecute her for contempt of court was an interference with her right to freedom of expression under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

[photo: Trudi Warner holding up her sign once again, outside the Old Bailey 4 April 2023]

Despite this, as recently as 8 April 2025, supporters of Defend Our Juries have been threatened with arrest for sitting quietly outside Southwark Crown Court holding signs referring to the principle of jury equity (see Defend Our Juries press release here ).

[photo: sign holders outside Southwark Crown Court, 2 July 2024]

We intend to launch a civil claim against the Met Police to hold them to account for our arrests and in the hope of creating further legal precedent confirming that arrests of this nature are unlawful. We are bringing claims in false imprisonment, and for assault, misfeasance in public office and breach of our rights under Article 10.

We have specialist legal representation for our claim from leading law firm Bhatt Murphy.

If we win the case, your donation will be refunded minus any fees charged by the GoFundMe platform.

Please help us take this action.

Thank you for supporting this crowdfunder and enabling us to take this important action!

With love, Cathy, Olly and Sally (Bells) XXX