Man charged over power station protest

POLICE have charged a 37-year-old man in connection with an alleged eco-protest threat to Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station.

Simon Lewis, of Cliff Mount, Leeds, is charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated trespass and is due to appear before Nottingham magistrates on Monday, October 5.

He is the first of 114 people arrested at Iona School in Sneinton during a major police operation on April 13 this year to be charged with an offence.

Notts Police have said that no further action will be taken against 67 of those arrested.

More than 200 officers from Notts, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Staffordshire and British Transport Police were involved in the arrests

No details of the cost of Operation Aeroscope have been disclosed by the force. But papers presented to Notts Police Authority reveal how a £700,000 surplus from the force's budget for 2008/9 could go towards the cost of the operation.

Eco-protesters are set to stage a demonstration at Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station next month.

Organiser Climate Camp says it aims to "shut down" the power station on October 17 and 18.

A Notts police spokesperson said the force had been made aware of the planned protest.