Kirby Misperton fracking protests: Man charged with police assault

A man was arrested after climbing up scaffolding close to the site

A man has been charged with assaulting a police officer at a fracking site in North Yorkshire.

The 23-year-old was allegedly involved in the protest at Kirby Misperton, where Third Energy was granted permission to frack in 2016.

It is alleged a police officer was pushed over and injured and a security guard was bitten.

A second man, 65, arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer, has been released on bail.

Read more about this and other stories from across Yorkshire

North Yorkshire Police said the incident took place in the early hours of Monday as two protesters locked themselves into a metal device on the road in front of Third Energy's site.

Police said 29 people had been arrested at the site since 19 September

Later a man was arrested after being removed from unsafe scaffolding on a grass verge near the site, said police.

A 49-year-old has been charged with obstructing a police officer.

Third Energy has not received final government consent to begin fracking, but expects to start before the end of the year.

It began moving equipment on to the site on 19 September.

Since then 29 people have been arrested at the site, with 24 charged with various offences.

The protesters have already lost a legal challenge against the decision to grant planning permission to frack for shale gas at the site, but have vowed to continue their attempts to prevent equipment being delivered.

Protest arrests by day

Tuesday, 19 September

• Man, 69, accepted a caution for obstructing a police officer

• 23-year-old man accepted a caution for wilfully obstructing a highway

• Man, 33, released without charge

Wednesday, 20 September

• Two men, aged 53 and 23, and two women, aged 54 and 40, all charged with obstructing Habton Road in Kirby Misperton

Thursday, 21 September

• 18-year-old woman charged with assaulting a police officer in the execution of her duty and assaulting a police officer in the execution of his duty

• 26-year-old woman charged with obstructing a police officer

• 33-year-old man charged with obstructing the highway

• 35-year-old woman charged with obstructing the highway

• 44-year-old woman charged with obstructing the highway

Monday, 25 September

• A 61-year-old man arrested and released with no further action

• A 56-year-old woman charged with obstructing a police constable

• Four women aged 35, 36, 54 and 62 have been charged with wilfully obstructing a highway and besetting a place to compel the abstention of a lawful act (an offence under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992)

Tuesday, 26 September

• Two women, aged 56 and 66, charged with wilfully obstructing the highway.

Wednesday, 27 September

• Four women, aged 39, 40, 54 and 66, charged with wilfully obstructing the highway.

Thursday, 28 September

• Woman, 40, charged with getting on to a motor vehicle whilst it was on a road, without lawful authority or reasonable cause.

Friday, 29 September

• Man, 21, charged with obstructing a police officer.

Monday, 2 October

• A 65-year-old man arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer, common assault and obstructing the highway. Has been released on bail

• Man, 23, charged with assaulting a police officer and obstructing the highway

• Man, 49, charged with obstructing a police officer

All those charged are due to appear before magistrates in October and November.