Boater had double life as activist

A TRIAL of six activists accused of trying to shut down Ratcliffe Power Station that was suddenly dropped, is worthy of a James Bond plot.

The undercover police officer Mark Kennedy, who had infiltrated the group, indicated he had switched sides, and offered to testify on their behalf, so the trial, that was due to start today, Monday, has collapsed, Alan Tilbury tells us.

Coal fired power station

The charges related to an alleged plan by the activists to try to shut down the Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal fired power station at the junction of the Trent and Soar, in 2009 to protest against global warming.

Mark Kennedy had a wife and children but  as an environmental campaigner, lived on the narrowboat Tamarisk at Beeston.

Arrested over 100

In April 2009, police arrested over 100 people for 'conspiracy to commit aggravated trespass' over the Ratcliffe-on-Soar protest, with 18  subsequently convicted. They could now appeal.

Mark Kennedy is no longer in the police force.