Self-proclaimed FOI Campaigner Alan M Dransfield obtained another victory over the Devon County Council (DCC) and the Information Commissionioner (ICO) recently.
The Upper Tribunal has recently overturned a First Tier Tribunal “Contempt of Court ” charge which was levelled at the Exeter FOI Campaigner in May this year.
The First Tier Tribunal has been ordered to carry out a retrial because the Contempt of Court Charges were made in error.
The sixty-three year old campaigner is delighted with the Upper Tribunal decision and it had increased in confidence somewhat in the British justice system. He now awaits a hearing date for the fifth retrial on this matter.
Dransfield was thrown out of the FTT court in May this year on Contempt of Court charges, which he claims were made soley to pervert the Course of Justice. He is fighting a five year battle to obtain technical data via the FOIA 2000, on the six Private Finance Initiative schools, which he claims are unsafe and unfit for purpose.
Dransfield is also awaiting a Court of Appeal decision related to the Exeter Chiefs Rugby Ground and Bridge in relation to his five year battle with the DCC on a FOIA request for the Chiefs Bridge, which Dransfield claims is also unsafe.
Dransfield said that he was very disappointed with the DCC, who appear to be throwing thousands of pounds fighting his FOIA requests, when it would be a lot cheaper for them to provide the sought after data. He is also very sceptical about the transparency, accountability and security at the DCC & ICO.
Both cases continue.
