Five Stop Oil protesters, including one of its co-founders, have been jailed for conspiring to organize protests that blocked the M25 motorway. [emphasis, links added]
Roger Hallam, an environmental activist and a founding member of the group, agreed to disrupt traffic by: In November 2022, protesters climbed onto the highway gantry for four consecutive days.
Daniel Shaw, 58, Daniel Shaw, 38, Louise Lancaster, 58, Lucia Whittaker de. Lucia Whittaker De Abreu and Cressida Gethin, 22, were sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday.
Hallam was sentenced to five years in prison and the remaining four defendants were each sentenced to four years in prison.
Prosecutors said the protest, in which 45 people climbed onto a gantry, caused at least £765,000 in economic damage, while the Metropolitan Police lost more than £1.1 million.
They are also said to have caused more than 50,000 hours of vehicle delays, affecting more than 700,000 vehicles, and left the M25 “impaired” for more than 120 hours.
Prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward KC told the court, A protest on November 9, 2022 resulted in a police officer being knocked off his motorcycle in traffic and suffering a concussion and bruises.
All five defendants participated in a Zoom call on November 2, 2022, in which planned protests were discussed based on “what was clearly expressed and what could be inferred” and was intended to recruit others to participate in the call protests, Ms Ledward told the court.
A reporter from The Sun joined the call, pretending to be interested in the protests, and managed to record part of the conversation, which he handed over to police.
Judge Christopher Hehir said the Zoom call showed “How intricate the planning for this sabotage was and the level of sophistication involved”and is “convincing evidence” of the existence of a conspiracy.
The protests were “extensively organized and planned” and each defendant played a “significant role” in the conspiracy, Ms Ledward said.
On July 11, a jury found the defendant guilty of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance with intent, contrary to section 78 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977.
The protesters, dubbed the “Truth Five” by Just Stop Oil on social media, confirmed their names in court and chanted “we love you” in the dock immediately after the verdict was handed down.
🚨 Breakthrough: #completetruthfive Arriving at Southwark Crown Court
⛓️ Today, Lou, Cressie, Lucia, Roger and Daniel will be sentenced by Judge Hehir to a maximum of 10 years in prison.
🧡 As they were kicked out of jail, a crowd of supporters gathered to welcome them. pic.twitter.com/P6dU18i3ds
— Stop Oil (@JustStop_Oil) July 18, 2024
Judge Hehir said: “The plain fact is that each of you has recently gone from concerned activist to fanatic.
“You have appointed yourselves the sole arbiters of the fight against climate change.”
The judge told Hallam: “You are a theoretician, a 'thinking' man.
“In my judgment, you are at the top of the conspiracy.”
The judge told the court that 11 protesters were arrested outside court on suspicion of contempt of court on July 2 while the case was being heard, but that the court suspended their proceedings on July 11 after he became “concerned” about their stance. litigation.
TV naturalist and Just Stop Oil supporter Chris Packham outside the courthouse.
“I feel physically sick at this moment and I don't think I've ever felt like this before,” he told protesters.
“I have just witnessed what can only be described as judicial brutality, with a complete disregard for any mitigating circumstances in sentencing. In a world torn by war, peaceful climate protestors are being sentenced to disproportionately high sentences.
“In a world that is burning and flooding. In a world that is in the midst of a biodiversity crisis.
Read Break in the Daily Mail
