A NORTHWICH man is among the 10 people who have been charged following protests on the day of the Grand National earlier this year.

Merseyside Police responded to several incidents on Saturday, April 15, including protests on the M57, Wango Lane and at Aintree Racecourse itself.

Ahead of the event, activist group Animal Rising had threatened to disrupt the race to highlight the 'broken relationship' between humans and animals.

On the day, officers attended the scene near junction 2 of the motorway at around 5.15pm after it was reported several people had blocked access for vehicles, leading to significant traffic delays.

A further protest was reported on Wango Lane, near to the racecourse, when people attempted to block the road.

Now following their investigation, police have charged nine people with wilful obstruction of a highway, including 46-year-old James Kelly, of Mornant Avenue, Hartford.

The others charged are:

  • Sarah Love, 47, of no fixed abode
  • Zoe Able, 27, of Leeders Pightle, in Norfolk
  • Lucia Alexander, 40, of no fixed abode
  • Jamie Carter, 29, of no fixed abode,
  • Elenor Kenny, 19, of no fixed abode
  • Tobias Brown, 49, of West Wycombe Road, High Wycombe
  • Andrew Houghton, 66, of Mendip Crescent, Bedford
  • Rosa Sharkey, 23, of Chase Side Avenue, Enfield

A tenth person, John Edwards, 49, of Cox Road, Alresford, Colchester, has been charged with stopping/causing a vehicle to remain at rest on a carriageway of motorway.

All 10 have been released on bail and are due to attend various courts on either Wednesday, November 22, or Wednesday, December 20.

The further protest which occurred on the racecourse itself is still under investigation.

Detective Chief Inspector Ben Dyer said: “Merseyside Police respects the right to a peaceful protest and expression of views, but criminal behaviour and disorder will never be tolerated.

“Our investigation into the protest on the racecourse at Aintree on Saturday, April 15, remains ongoing and if you have any information, please get in touch.”

If you have any information, you can call 101 or DM ‘MerPolCC’ on Twitter of ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’ on Facebook, quoting reference 23000318389.