Shell guilty of contempt
mayo |
environment |
news report 
Monday September 07, 2009 22:17
by fired_pet
Company may be sent for psychaitric report
SHell was found in contempt of a District Court order last week. The company was found by the judge to have entered common land in Rossport despite having been prohibited from doing so by a 2007 court order. Presumably the judge, when she returns to sentence the company next week, will treat them as harshly as she has treated opponents of the project to install the experimental gas pipeline in North West Mayo.
Previously court sittings heard evidence that Shell had applied to An Bord Pleanála for a compulsory acquisition order for lands under the Gas Act 1976. This is one of the first times a private company has used compulsory acquisition law in Ireland to advance their own profits.
In advance of the compulsory acquisition, Shell had claimed that inspections of the lands were required. But back in November 2007 the court granted an order prohibiting Shell from entering the commonage until all the provisions of the Gas Act were complied with.
At a court sitting in Ballina last week, the brave and impartial Judge said the court order was specific in its terms that Shell was prohibited from entering on to common lands at Rossport until the provisions of the gas act was complied with. Nevertheless, Shell contractors had entered the lands.
The matter has been adjourned for sentencing to Westport District Court on September 17th. No doubt the Irish justice system will be as strict with the giant multi national company as it with protesters who oppose its plans.
Comments (5 of 5)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5I sentence you to a 50c fine and one brown envelope (usual size) for the transgression
Interesting report by John Donovan for group digging out all the dirt on Shell, plenty there then...
Royal Dutch Shell saved Hitler and the Nazi Party
http://royaldutchshellplc.com/2009/08/07/royal-dutch-sh...arty/
guardian 11 min vid to watch at
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/video/2009/jan/06...-veer
In the latest of his groundbreaking encounters with the figures whose decisions shape our environment, George Monbiot challenges Jeroen van de Veer, chief executive of oil and gas giant Shell, on ethics, greenwash advertising, renewable energy investments and gas-flaring in Nigeria
My confidence in the good judge is not strengthened by observing what her husband has been up to -- using scientific fraud (and his culpable ignorance) to suppress a public information report.
Today in Westport District Court was supposed to see the sentencing of Shell for the contempt of court charge that they were found guilty of on the 4th September. However Shell sought to have the case referred to the High court to have Judge Devins explain how she found them guilty of the contempt of court charge. Basically Shell are claiming that Judge Devins has erred in law in her decision (however they failed to specify how they think she has erred). Shell quoted from a law enacted in 1857 in order to seek to have the case referred to the High Court.
Judge Devins adjourned the case to October 8th, when she will decide whether the case will be sent to the High Court.
One guess as to why Shell sought this obscure course of action is that they are trying to delay the sentencing until after An Bord Pleanala decide on the planning application, in which the illegal information obtained on Rossport Commonage was used.
Indymedia Ireland is a media collective. We are independent volunteer citizen journalists producing and distributing the authentic voices of the people. Indymedia Ireland is an open news project where anyone can post their own news, comment, videos or photos about Ireland or related matters.