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Sea empress: FOE's case sound but prosecution delayed pending clarification by environment agency
21 July 1997
Following last week's announcement by the Environment Agency that it is to prosecute the Milford Haven Port Authority and the local Harbour Master over the Sea Empress oil spill disaster, Friends of the Earth has been advised by counsel [1] that sufficient evidence exists for a prosecution also to be brought against the Department of Transport (DoT)because of its role in the disaster.
Friends of the Earth wants to ensure that all parties who should properly bear criminal responsibility for the spillage are brought to justice, but has been further advised for technical legal reasons to delay a private prosecution until clarification of the scope of the Environment Agency's case has been provided.
Such clarification is urgently being sought by Friends of the Earth's solicitors, Leigh Day &Co, in a letter sent today to the Agency's Director of Legal Services [copy attached].
Charles Secrett, Director of Friends of the Earth, said:
"Our intention remains as resolute as ever. For fifteen months we have pressed the Environment Agency to take action, and are pleased that it is beginning to do so. But we believe the Agency has not gone far enough. It is clear to us that the DoT should be in the dock too and we have the commitment, patience and first class legal advice to see that all those properly responsible for the Sea Empress disaster are prosecuted."
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS:
[1] Michael Mansfield QC, Martin Edwards and Sandhya Drew
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Dec 2008
