BREAKING NEWS: Thames Water CEO, Chris Weston, resists Citizen’s Arrest, claiming “I’m not committing any crime!”
A group of 8 women approached CEO of Thames Water, Chris Weston at 9:06 this morning outside their Headquarters in Reading. The women attempted to encircle Weston, but he managed to resist and quickly went into the office.
As he was approached by the group on Vastern Road in Reading, he was addressed by Sara Melly, who is a mother of three, and Clinical Psychologist. She went to shake his hand, saying: “Chris Weston? Hello, my name’s Sara, I’d really like to talk to you.”
At this point, he broke out of the circle of people around him, and hurried to the Thames Water offices. Melly walked behind him, continuing: “I’d actually like to place you under Citizen’s Arrest for committing the indictable crime of Public Nuisance.”
Before ducking into the Thames Water building and disappearing behind a security gate, Weston remarked to Melly: “I’m not committing any crime! I’m trying to sort the problems out...”
A video of the entire scene is available to view, download, and freely distribute on the Citzen’s Arrrest Network press drive.
Today is the unofficial deadline for Thames Water creditors to reach a deal with Ofwat, following ongoing negotiations to avoid the company's collapse. Currently the company is in debt of over £16bn, which costs their customers an average of 28% of their bills. [1] In recent weeks, creditors have asked for leniency from river pollution by the company for up to an astonishing 15 more years. [2]
Sara Melly, who attempted the Citizen’s Arrest, said:
“It is time Water Company bosses see the inside of a jail cell. It has been well reported on for years now how Thames Water and other private companies have been failing the public and we are fed up! Fines don’t work. Privatisation hasn’t worked.”
“Their job was to supply clean water. Instead we have higher bills than ever, while they rake in the money, and our water is dirtier than ever.The general public are sick and tired of the lack of accountability for CEOs driving these companies into the ground while passing the buck back onto all of us. We're here to make sure that doesn't happen anymore, we have the evidence and we want to see them in court!”
Since coming into his position, Weston has been paid up to £2.3m [3], receiving bonuses of up to £195,000 [4] and shareholders receive dividends totalling £158.3m [5].
The group is accusing Weston of up to 7 counts of public nuisance, a crime that carries a 10 year maximum sentence. The charges focus on unsafe infrastructure, unsafe drinking water, environmental damage and illegal sewage spills, which pose a risk to the public's access to clean water, and mismanagement of funds following bill increases and Weston’s bonus ban.
This follows a string of actions from the group, with CEO of Anglian Water Mark Thurston being held last week, at Coulsden South Station last Wednesday on his way to work, and 8 water company headquarters across the UK where CEO’s were handed evidence dossiers, which outlined the damage of water pollution their companies have committed and the effect this has on the public and their access to clean water. On each occasion the Police have been called, often with them attending the scene, but no final arrests being made, despite the evidence being clear.[6]
The Citizen’s Arrest Network is a nonviolent organisation pursuing prosecution against CEO’s that are responsible for their organisations mismanagement, while also pursuing legal action against the CEO’s with the hope that they will finally see jail time for their crimes against the environment and poor management of the public's finances.
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