A JUDGE has praised protesters in Insulate Britain for their commitment to greener living despite being fined for a protest that disrupted the journeys of 18,000 drivers on the M25.
The group blocked traffic, including an ambulance carrying a patient, by sitting on the other side of junction 3 of the motorway in September last year.
Some protesters stuck to the tarmac while one stuck to a police car.
Nine of the activists admitted charges relating to the protest at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
Mary Adams, 68, Ian Bates, 63, Karen Matthews, 60, Margurite Doubleday, 67, Bethany Mogie, 39, and Xavier Gonzalez-Trimmer, 21, and Lucy Crawford, 52, pleaded guilty to willful obstruction of the free passage of the motorway. .
Biff Whipster, 54, admitted to having suffered criminal damage after leaving a “hard, crusty layer of glue” on the window of a police vehicle.
Biff Whipster, 54, admitted criminal damage after sticking to a police car
Bates, Matthews and Whipster were told by District Judge Stephen Leake that they had “inspired” him after giving impassioned speeches about their climate concerns while representing themselves in court.
However, the judge added that his role was “to enforce the law” and said their actions had caused “significant disruption” to the highway.
“I heard your voices,” he said. “They have inspired me and personally I intend to do what I can to lessen my own impact on the planet, so to that extent your voices are certainly being heard.
“These are tough cases for us judges because we have to enforce the law and that’s what we’ve been sworn to.”
An ambulance carrying a patient who ‘needed to be transported urgently’ was delayed when Adams refused to move out of the way, with officers ahead of the ‘drag’ out of the way, prosecutor Kat Shields said .
The cost to the economy caused by the disruption was around £4,603, with around 18,000 vehicles affected in the wider area, evidence from the National Highways shows.
The judge said the protesters “undoubtedly” acted in a way they believed to be “morally right” but still committed a criminal offence.
Xavier Gonzalez-Trimmer, who has previous convictions for similar protest-related offenses, was fined £266
Bates and Mogie were fined £200 while Gonzalez-Trimmer, who had previous convictions for similar protest-related offenses, was fined £266.
Whipster was fined £120, with the judge taking into account his financial situation and the fact that he is currently on Universal Credit.
Adams was fined £250 after the judge ruled his refusal to move out of the way of the ambulance was a “serious” aggravating factor, while Doubleday was fined £150.
Five protesters, Tim Speers, Daniell Thomas, Peter Morgan, Louise Lancaster and Iain Webb failed to appear in court and were found guilty of willful obstruction after a trial was held in their absence.
Thomas and Speers were fined £200 while Morgan, who had previous convictions for similar protest-related offenses, was fined £400.
Lancaster was fined £330 and Webb was fined £300.
Gabriella Ditton and Barry Mitchell have each entered not guilty pleas to willful obstruction and will appear at Horsham Magistrates’ Court on May 11.
Victoria Lindsell and Michelle Charlesworth, each charged with one count of willful obstruction and Louis McKechnie, charged with criminal damage, had their hearings adjourned until April 28 at Crawley Magistrates’ Court.
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Source: www.theargus.co.uk
This notice was published: 2022-04-13 07:57:46
