‘End of the road’ for Dale Farm families

RESIDENTS of Dale Farm, the UK’s largest illegal travellers’ site, have been refused permission to appeal against a High Court ruling in London, which gave Basildon Council permission to evict them.

Court of Appeal judge Lord Justice Sullivan said the travellers could not challenge a decision made last week by Mr Justice Ouseley.

The ruling was the latest decision in a long legal fight over the future of the green-belt site near Basildon, Essex.

A travellers’ spokeswoman said after the hearing: “This looks like the end of the road.”

Dale Farm resident Kathleen McCarthy added: “The lawyers say this is the end. We’ll have to fight the bailiffs off. We’re already in lockdown.

“We’ve been left with no choice – we really have nowhere else to go,” Ms McCarthy went on.

“Do you think we’d put ourselves through this if we did? The law is prejudiced against travellers.

“We were told 15 years ago to get off the road and buy our own land, but now they are forcing us and our kids out on to the road again. The barricades are all that stand between us and homelessness now.”

Lily Hayes, a Dale Farm supporter, said: “The law, planning regulations and the judicial system all discriminate against travellers. Engaging in civil disobedience is the reasonable response to this senseless eviction, which is making 86 families homeless.

“We will stand side by side with the residents.”

Residents also expressed concern that Basildon Council had failed to give an indication of when the eviction would begin.