Real Fathers for Justice - News

Many thanks to those who supported this brave man in his stand..

He has been found not Guilty!!



20 May 2009: Tyne Bridge protest man vows to keep fighting


Category: News
Posted by: Toon

May 20 2009 by Garry Willey, Evening Chronicle


Simon Anderton, from Heaton, stayed on top of the Tyne Bridge for more than two days in a protest for Real Fathers for Justice

A FATHERS’ rights activist cleared of causing danger during a Tyne Bridge protest has vowed to carry on campaigning.

Simon Anderton, from Real Fathers For Justice, suspended a life-size, fully-clothed dummy from the girders during his one-man demonstration high above the river.

Prosecutors claimed the 50-year-old wanted to cause massive disruption by closing the bridge and that his suicide stunt with the mannequin risked the lives of motorists driving underneath.

But a Newcastle Crown Court jury took only 20 minutes to find Mr Anderton, from Heaton, Newcastle not guilty of attempting to cause a public nuisance.

They also cleared him on judge’s direction of causing a danger to road users by hanging the 12kg dummy on a rope.

After the verdicts Mr Anderton spoke both of his relief and determination to keep going as an activist against the family court system.

“I’m over the moon,” he said. “It is a fantastic outcome. Both myself and the group feel very vindicated.

“My only aim was to highlight our cause in a peaceful way not to create disruption or upset anyone.

“Obviously we want the public behind us not against us and the support I received from people while I was on the bridge actually kept me up there longer.

“They were tooting their horns and even shouting my name. I can’t thank them – or the jury – enough.” » Read More

19 May 2009: Simon Anderton - Not Guilty Verdict


Category: News
Posted by: Toon

Rffj Press Release


A Newcastle crown court jury of 6 men and 6 women took only 15 minutes to return their unanimous verdict of Not guilty, relating to all charges against Simon Anderton following the Tyne bridge father’s day protest of 15th June 2008.

Early in the second day of the case Judge Prince directed the jury to return a not guilty verdict to one of the 2 charges; this followed conflicting police testimony for the prosecution stating that the hanging mannequin posed no obvious threat to the public below, hence dropping the causing a danger to road users charge.

After the not guilty verdict for the remaining public offence charge; Simon (pictured left) said “Today is not only a victory for me and our campaign; it is also a victory for common sense and for every parent who wishes to highlight the failings of family law”

“Despite being exonerated of any wrongdoing in a criminal court today, it does little for the pain of not being able to be a father to my two beautiful daughters who I love dearly; having eventually been granted contact by the family courts, they failed to enforce their own order - I sadly have not seen either girl for over 8 years”

“Following this protest I was arrested and wrongfully imprisoned for a week, the police then harassed me unduly for the months that preceded my trial, my bail conditions required me to sign 3 days a week at a local Police station - I also had a 7pm-7am curfew, during the 6 months of the bail conditions police visited my residence an amazing 135 times to check whether I was abiding by the terms of the curfew”

“I would like to thank every member of the jury for seeing through this charade of a trial as a waste of tax payer’s money and to everyone who has supported me, every time we have tested a protest case before a jury of our peers we have gotten ourselves a not guilty verdict – that shows that we have the public on our side and they agree our protests are justified”

Rffj spokesman Mike Kelly added “This case shows people should not be afraid to protest against a family law system that still is not working effectively, we need more brave people like Simon to make a stand, and everyone can do something even if it is only a letter of support to their local paper or MP”

“This government will not stop the protests by their oppressive use of the police and crown prosecution service, family law is broken and we again call for wide sweeping reforms and unrestricted reporting of cases”

“Maybe next time an activist unfurls an Rffj banner on a building or in a public place, they will think twice before they try and silence us”

The chairman of the jury indicated he had a statement to read in open court following the delivery of the verdict, he was denied that privilege by Judge Prince, Rffj are happy to publish that statement upon our website: please email info@realfathersforjustice.org

19 May 2009: Simon Anderton - Fathers day 2008 protest footage now on youtube


Category: News
Posted by: Toon

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyDKB-dOC1U"][COLOR=#0000ff]>Link here<[/COLO"]YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.[/nomedia]



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18 May 2009: Fathers' rights campaigner in court


Category: News
Posted by: Toon

News guardian
18 May 2009
By ANTHONY MCLEAN
A FATHERS' rights campaigner who spent more than two days on top of the Tyne Bridge was trying to create massive public disruption, a court heard.
Simon Anderton, 49, climbed to the top of the iconic Newcastle bridge in the early hours of Father's Day on June 15 last year, before tying a 12kg dummy with its head in a noose from the arch of the bridge.

He spent two days on the bridge before being talked down by police negotiators.

He was arrested and charged with attempting to cause a public nuisance and causing a danger to road users.

At the start of his trial at Newcastle Crown Court, Carl Gumsley, prosecuting, said Anderton was an activist member of the real Fathers for Justice and carried out the stunt to highlight the "failures in inequities" in the family court system.

Mr Gumsley said Anderton was aiming to create massive public disruption and wanted to close the bridge to get his message across.

"The Tyne Bridge is one of the most iconic and recognisable symbols in the north east," said Mr Gumsley.

"But it is much more than that, it is one of the main roads across the Tyne.

"The prosecution don't suggest that Simon Anderton doesn't believe in his cause. Everything suggests he believes in it passionately.

"But this is not what this case is about.

"This case does not seek and does not want to examine the merits of his cause.

"His actions are on trial, not his beliefs.

"This case is brought because in seeking to establish his cause this defendant acted in a way which created what must have been an obvious danger to other road users."

Anderton, from Melbon Terrace, Heaton, Newcastle, denies the charges against him and the trial continues. » Read More