Two farming brothers have appeared in court accused of driving offences after two men were injured outside Sellafield.
Police began an investigation after receiving a report at 8.55am yesterday of a collision which was said to have involved a vehicle and two pedestrians.
This had happened outside the Calder Gate entrance of Sellafield at which there was a picket line linked to several days of industrial action by construction staff at the site.
One pedestrian — a 55-year-old man — was taken to the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven, with serious injuries before being transferred to Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary. He remains in hospital in a stable condition.
A second man, aged 39, also attended hospital with minor injuries and was later discharged.
Four people were— including two teenagers — were arrested by police.
Two men appeared at Carlisle Magistrates’ Court this morning.
They are brothers Craig Fawcett, 50, of Seascale, and Albert Darren Fawcett, 52, of Gosforth.
Craig Fawcett faces a charge which alleges that he caused serious injury to the victim by the dangerous driving of a Polaris Ranger vehicle, on the Sellafield to Seascale road, on September 17.
The serious injuries are said by a prosecutor to have included rib and collarbone fractures, and a head injury.
It is alleged that Craig Fawcett drove directly at a group of people, causing them to take evasive action.
Albert Darren Fawcett faces a separate charge that he drove an Isuzu truck dangerously on the same road, on the same date.
The two men appeared together in a court dock for a short hearing in front of district judge Philip Holden.
Both spoke to confirm personal details, and to enter not guilty pleas to the respective charges they face.
Their case was sent to Carlisle Crown Court, where they are due to appear in front of a judge for a plea and trial preparation hearing on Monday October 20.
In the meantime the two men were granted bail with a single condition of residence at their respective addresses.
Cumbria police have asked people not to share video footage which has been circulating, and to refrain from speculating about the circumstances of what happened yesterday.
