Dorchester protester involved in anti-vivisection demonstrations accused of contempt

Bosses at MBR Acres, which breeds animals for medical and clinical research, has accused Dorchester man Michael Maher and Sammi Laidlaw, of Southend, near Essex, of entering an exclusion zone at a company site in Wyton, Cambridgeshire, in November, in breach of a judge’s order.

Lawyers representing the company, which has taken legal action against a protest group called Free the MBR Beagles, say Maher and Laidlaw are in contempt of court.

Mr Justice Nicklin is considering evidence at a High Court hearing in London, due to end on Thursday.

Maher and Laidlaw had denied contempt.

But they told the judge that, having seen evidence, they may have breached an injunction.

They said they had not meant to breach an injunction.

Mr Justice Nicklin was told that pop star Young had been involved in a demonstration outside the Wyton site in November.

Young was photographed holding a placard and his protest made headlines.

The judge had outlined detail of the litigation in a written ruling, published after he made injunctions in November.

Mr Justice Nicklin said MBR was a subsidiary of the Marshall Farm Group Ltd, which was incorporated in the United States and trades as Marshall Bioresources.

He said MBR bred animals for medical and clinical research.

Maher, 48, who lives near Dorchester, Dorset, and Laidlaw, 35, who lives near Southend, Essex, were among a number of protesters MBR had taken legal action against.

Barrister Caroline Bolton, who is leading MBR’s legal team, told the hearing that Maher, who was also known as John Thibeault, and Laidlaw had breached an injunction made in November.

Both had entered an exclusion zone and approached vehicles carrying company employees, she said in a written case outline.

She said people found to be in contempt could be jailed, but said any sanction would be a matter for the judge.