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| Activists guilty of hate campaign | Activists guilty of hate campaign |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Four animal rights activists have been convicted of orchestrating a blackmail campaign against firms that supplied an animal testing research centre. | Four animal rights activists have been convicted of orchestrating a blackmail campaign against firms that supplied an animal testing research centre. |
| They used paedophile smears, criminal damage and bomb hoaxes to intimidate companies associated with Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS) in Cambridgeshire. | They used paedophile smears, criminal damage and bomb hoaxes to intimidate companies associated with Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS) in Cambridgeshire. |
| The four, members of Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) from Hampshire and London, had denied the charges. | The four, members of Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) from Hampshire and London, had denied the charges. |
| A fifth defendant was cleared by the Winchester Crown Court jury. | A fifth defendant was cleared by the Winchester Crown Court jury. |
| During a six-year campaign the group falsely claimed managers of the companies were paedophiles. | During a six-year campaign the group falsely claimed managers of the companies were paedophiles. |
| They also sent hoax bombs parcels and made threatening telephone calls to firms telling them to cut links with HLS. | They also sent hoax bombs parcels and made threatening telephone calls to firms telling them to cut links with HLS. |
| 'Menacing' campaign | 'Menacing' campaign |
| One of the features of intimidation included sending used sanitary items in the post to the firms and daubing roads outside managers' homes with words like "puppy killer".Members of SHAC covered their faces during a raid | |
| Heather Nicholson, 41, of Eversley, Hampshire; Gerrah Selby, 20, of Chiswick, London; Daniel Wadham, 21, of Bromley, south London, and Gavin Medd-Hall, 45, of Croydon, south London, were found guilty of conspiracy to blackmail. | Heather Nicholson, 41, of Eversley, Hampshire; Gerrah Selby, 20, of Chiswick, London; Daniel Wadham, 21, of Bromley, south London, and Gavin Medd-Hall, 45, of Croydon, south London, were found guilty of conspiracy to blackmail. |
| Another defendant, Trevor Holmes, 51, from Newcastle, was cleared. | Another defendant, Trevor Holmes, 51, from Newcastle, was cleared. |
| Earlier, three other people, Gregg Avery and Natasha Avery, both of Hampshire, and Daniel Amos, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to blackmail. | Earlier, three other people, Gregg Avery and Natasha Avery, both of Hampshire, and Daniel Amos, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to blackmail. |
| The court heard the defendants were part of SHAC, which was based near Hook, Hampshire, and targeted companies in the UK and Europe between 2001 and 2007. | The court heard the defendants were part of SHAC, which was based near Hook, Hampshire, and targeted companies in the UK and Europe between 2001 and 2007. |
| The court heard Nicholson, from Eversley in Hampshire, was a founder member of SHAC, who managed the "menacing" campaigns against the firms. This conspiracy to blackmail involved the systematic and relentless intimidation Det Ch Insp Andy Robbins | |
| Selby, Wadham and Medd-Hall were released on conditional bail, while Nicholson was remanded in custody. | Selby, Wadham and Medd-Hall were released on conditional bail, while Nicholson was remanded in custody. |
| The verdict on Tuesday came after seven days of deliberation. | The verdict on Tuesday came after seven days of deliberation. |
| One of the jurors refused to be seen in court while the verdict was announced. | One of the jurors refused to be seen in court while the verdict was announced. |
| Det Ch Insp Andy Robbins, of Kent Police, told the BBC: "We are very satisfied with the outcome of this prosecution. | Det Ch Insp Andy Robbins, of Kent Police, told the BBC: "We are very satisfied with the outcome of this prosecution. |
| "This conspiracy to blackmail involved the systematic and relentless intimidation of individuals and their companies who the defendants suspected to be involved with HLS. | "This conspiracy to blackmail involved the systematic and relentless intimidation of individuals and their companies who the defendants suspected to be involved with HLS. |
| "There was a whole group of tactics used by SHAC and I would like to pay tribute to the many victims who have had to carry on their lawful business while living through this criminal campaign. | "There was a whole group of tactics used by SHAC and I would like to pay tribute to the many victims who have had to carry on their lawful business while living through this criminal campaign. |
| "The public should also be aware that money donated to SHAC in good faith was in fact being used to finance criminal conduct. | "The public should also be aware that money donated to SHAC in good faith was in fact being used to finance criminal conduct. |
| "SHAC and the ALF [Animal Liberation Front] are one of the same, there is no club, no rules of membership." | "SHAC and the ALF [Animal Liberation Front] are one of the same, there is no club, no rules of membership." |
| Sentencing will take place on 19 January. | Sentencing will take place on 19 January. |