Friday 16th July 1999
Immediate release
PRESS RELEASE

AgrEvo acts to protect GM crop from "Stop the Crop" 
rally[1]

On Friday 16th  July 1999 at a hearing of the High Court in 
London[2], Claimants AgrEvo UK Limited/Plant Genetic 
Systems N.V. were successful in extending their 
injunction[3] against six named defendants[4] and 'members' 
of genetiX snowball.  The new injunction restrains the 
defendants from uprooting or damaging plants at additional 
trial sites for genetically modified(GM) crops[5].  This 
includes six farm scale trials of GM crops (each up to 10 
hectares/24 acres in size).  In particular 'The Claimants 
are extremely concerned that the demonstration planned for 
18 July at the Watlington site [a farm scale trial in 
Oxfordshire] may get out of hand and the crops ... will be 
damaged'[6].

The ownership of the GM crops at Model farm was contested 
by the defendants. The claimants presented confidential 
documents that showed that they were the owners of the 
genetically modified crops at the six farm scale trials 
including GM oil seed rape growing at Model Farm, near 
Watlington in Oxfordshire. If the Claimants had not shown 
conclusively that they were owners of the GM crops then the 
application would have failed.

The Claimants also applied for an order requiring that the 
defendants provide a list of every person who has received 
a copy of the genetiX snowball 'Handbook for Action'. They 
say that this is 'to enable the Claimants to police the 
injunction properly'. i.e if a person was found 
interfering/ uprooting the Claimants GM crops AND their 
name was on the Handbook list then a breech of the 
injunction would have occurred. However the Judge, The 
Honourable Mrs Justice Hallett considered that ownership of 
the Handbook did not equate to membership of genetiX 
snowball. She sited an example where a listener to the BBC 
radio series 'The Archers', which features a story line of 
direct action over GM crops, could out of curiosity send 
for a copy the Handbook without any intent to GM uproot 
crops. The Judge ordered that the defendants notify persons 
who they consider to be members of "genetiX snowball" of 
the extended injunction and that a list of those persons be 
provided within seven days.

The application was contested by Daniel Bennett of Leigh 
Day & Co. who represented three of the defendants and Zoe 
Elford, one of the other three defendants without legal 
council. The solicitors Hammomd Suddards acted for the 
Claimants AgrEvo UK Limited/Plant Genetic Systems N.V. 

CONTACT: Andrew Wood Tel: 0973 953 446, page: 07654 247 502




Editors Notes

[1] See Media Release dated Thursday 15th  JULY 1999 
'NATIONAL RALLY TO VISIT 'FARM SCALE' GM TRIAL' from the 
Genetic Engineering Network(G.E.N.) who are co-ordinating 
the rally. Note the rally is ** NOT ** organised by genetiX 
snowball. Called G.E.N on 0181 374 9516 for a copy.

[2] A court summons was issued on 12th July 1999, case 
number 1999 A. No.300 Agrevo Uk Ltd/ Plants Genetic Systems 
N.V v Jo Hamilton & Others. The hearing was during the 
midday hour and lasted about forty minutes. It was held in 
room G101 at the Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London 
WC2A 2LL.

[3] The Honourable Mr Justice Douglas Brown granted an 
injunction on Thursday 15th April 1999 against the six 
named defendants and 'members' of genetiX snowball. See 
press release dated Friday 16th April 1999 'AgrEvo/PGS gain 
most wide-ranging injunction to date' from media liaison.

[4]The name defendants: Jo Hamilton, Rowan Tilly, Kathryn 
Tulip, Melanie Jarman, Zoe Elford, Andrew Wood.

[5]The injunction restrains genetiX snowball from: 
trespassing on any of the land and premises in the 
possession of ArgEvo/PGS at East Winch Hall, near Kings 
Lynn in Norfolk and at Chishill Orchard Farm near Royston 
in Hertfordshire; uprooting, damaging and/or destroying 
plants and/or other goods belonging to the AgrEvo/PGS at 
their release sites for GM plants or on their premises;  
procuring any other person or persons to commit any of the 
aforementioned acts whether by encouraging, instructing, 
inciting or otherwise inducing such persons to do so; or 
conspiring to commit any of the aforementioned acts.

[6] Quoted from paragraph 17 of the first witness statement 
of Desmond D'Souza, who is employed by the AgrEvo Uk Ltd. 
as a Biotechnology Communications Manager.



genetiX snowball 
A campaign of nonviolent civil responsibility
One World Centre, 6 Mount Street, Manchester M2 5NS Tel: 
0161 834 0295  Fax: 0161 834 8187
Browse: http://www.gn.apc.org/pmhp/gs 

Press liaison: Andrew Wood 0973 953 446 or page 07654 
247502