Community champion in court over claims she racially abused Travellers

From the Telegraph

Josie Hampson, 77, has previously received a ‘Chorley Smile’ award for her work with parents and children in the town and has run a toyshop there with her family since the 1960s. She said she is “determined” to clear her name over the allegations.

The claims involve a group of Travellers who have been locked in a four year battle with the local community because they want to remain on green belt land near Mrs Hampson’s home.

The grandmother is due in court on Thursday over the allegations, which include causing racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress by words and using threatening words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

Mrs Hampson said being fingerprinted and having her DNA taken was "humiliating," when she was interviewed by police in April, and the ordeal was making her ill.

“I am not a racist, I never have been a racist, and certainly never will be,” said the former Sunday school teacher and school governor.

"I am a Christian and the words I have been accused of saying would never have even entered my head.

"I am 77 years old and face going to court and standing trial, but I am determined to clear my name. I am struggling to cope and I am feeling unwell with the worry.

"I just can't imagine how it has come to this.

"It's not going to be easy, but I will have to pluck up the courage to stand trial as I am completely innocent."

Mrs Hampson was previously awarded a ‘Chorley Smile’ award by the local council for her services to the town’s parents and children. She is a well known face in the community, having run Hampson’s Toymaster in Chorley, Lancashire, with her family since she set it up with her late husband in the 1960s.

Residents in Chorley have been involved in a four year battle with the group of Travellers who want to remain in their camp on green belt land in Heath Charnock, near Chorley.

After two public inquiries, appeals and legal fees – that residents say have reached £50,000 – the group has been granted a two year stay of execution by Chorley Council while it does a full report into provisions for Travellers in the town. The report is being done as part of the local plan and the Travellers are expected to be allowed temporary use of the site.

Dave Jones, 60, who lives next to the site in Hut Lane, claims the group has made racist claims against the community in the past, which were not upheld.

He said: “It seems bizarre that a 77-year-old woman is being taken to court.

“She’s got her own little business in Chorley and she has lived here for 30 years.”

Mr Jones said people in 23 homes near the site had joined together to fight the Travellers’ case for the last four years, sharing the legal fees between them.

He added: “People are upset about it. As well as the council’s investigations, we’ve had our own legal team which has cost about £50,000.

“We are determined to prove that this is in appropriate development for the green belt.

“It’s law-abiding people that are being affected. I’ve lived here for 13 years. It’s a lovely spot, it’s on the green belt, and most people choose to live here because of its position. ”

He said the number of Travellers at the site had decreased from around 30 to 12 in recent years and said about five caravans remained.

The Linfoot family, who have been living at the site in Hut Lane, were given temporary leave to stay on the land while Chorley Council does a full report into the needs of Travellers in the area as part of the new local plan.

Michael Linfoot said: "We have been calling for a new report into Traveller needs in Chorley all along and we hope it will be thorough.

"It would only be temporary so we'll continue to look for sites in Chorley to move to."

Mrs Hampson’s court summons at Preston Magistrates’ Court comes after a cricket club about ten miles away formed a human barricade to protect their pitch from Travellers invading earlier this week.

Players from Hoghton Cricket Club and volunteers formed an overnight barricade around their pitch on Monday night after four caravans entered the site.

They took turns to man the perimeter overnight and managed to evict the first gipsies within 24 hours and hold back any more from getting onto the land.