The solicitor general is to appeal a decision to throw out a contempt of court case against Trudi Warner, a local retiree who held up a sign outside a climate trial, reports Marco Marcelline

Inset: Trudi Warner holding her placard, Credit: Just Stop Oil/X/Twitter

The country’s top law officer will appeal against a decision by the High Court to drop prosecution efforts against a Walthamstow climate activist.

Last month, a High Court judge described the government’s attempt to prosecute Tudi Warner who held up a sign outside a climate trial as “fanciful”.

Throwing out government lawyers’ application for contempt of court charges against Trudi Warner, 69, Mr Justice Saini, said her conduct “did not amount to an act of contempt”.

The contempt of court case was sparked after Trudi had held up a sign outside a climate trial at Inner London Crown Court in March 2023 that stated: “Jurors: you have an absolute right to acquit a defendant according to your conscience.”

Trudi was also challenging judge-imposed restrictions on the defendants that prevented them from mentioning climate change or property insulation in their defence.

Speaking to the Echo today, Trudi said: “It’s shocking that more public money can be spent on this case, which has already been thrown out of the High Court. I hope people will be asking lots of questions about how this can happen.”

The former social worker also thanked people for their “wonderful support” which showed to her that “people really care about juries, justice and democracy”.

The solicitor general’s office has been contacted for comment.

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.