The River Roding

Paul Powlesland, a barrister who founded and chairs the River Roding Trust, made the oath in order to serve as a juror in a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

With his fingers dipped in water taken from the Roding, he said: “I swear by the River Roding, from her source in Molehill Green to her confluence with the Thames, that I will faithfully try the defendant and give a true verdict according to the evidence.”

The judge “had never heard of a situation where someone wanted to swear their juror’s oath on a part of nature before”, Mr Powlesland said in a social media post later.

“However, I explained that nature was my god and I treat the Roding with the same reverence, sacredness and love in action as many religious people give to their holy book,” he continued.

“On this basis he was prepared to allow an oath on the river, as long as I gave an affirmation as well, which I did.

“Here’s to introducing the sacredness of nature back into our legal system, step by step and piece by piece!”