A UNITE activist whose son was convicted of assaulting a police officer in clashes at the Balcombe fracking site led the opposition yesterday against the dangerous dash for gas. 

Denyze Harris told delegates how she would be back in court with her son next month as he appeals against his suspended sentence. 

She described video footage played in his first trial that showed him put a hand on the shoulder of a cop bearing down on a friend who had fallen to the ground. 

“My son knows me very well, I wouldn’t condone any sort of violence no matter what the situation,” said Ms Harris.

But she added: “You only have to touch a police to be done for assault now.

“I’m going to support him because he’s frightened.

“He had a suspended sentence given to him but this will hang with him for the rest of his life.”

Ms Harris said the traumatic experience has been a “steep learning curve” for her about fracking and inspired her to take up the fight against shale gas drilling. 

The South West health delegate offered her personal story in a fiery debate over the union’s position on fracking. 

Mark Lyon had proposed a “pragmatic” policy on behalf of the union’s executive that said the union should engage with the industry while maintaining opposition. 

Responding to Ms Harris’s story, he said: “We’re appalled by the behaviour of the police up there at times. 

“We’re not advocating that. Our support for people protesting is unconditional.”

But he told delegates that fracking “is coming to a town near you.”

And he argued: “If it is coming, all we’re saying is that our union want to be there to protect communities and look after the workers.”

However, members rejected the executive’s statement in favour of motion calling for a moratorium on all fracking in Britain. 

Proposer Gerard Sheridan said fracking jobs will be “low paid and short term.” 

He added: “The only thing the local workforce is likely to get is poisoned.”