Five Just Stop Oil activists have been jailed for plotting to grind M25 traffic to a halt.
The five, named below, were recently convicted of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance following a two-week trial at Southwark Crown Court:
- Roger Hallam, 57, from Wales;
- Daniel Shaw, 38, from Northampton;
- Lucia Whittaker De Abreu, 34, from Derby;
- Louise Lancaster, 58, from Cambridge;
- Cressida Gethin, 22, from Hereford.
The so-called "Whole Truth Five" were back at the same court for sentencing on Thursday, 18th July 2024.
Intentionally or recklessly causing a public nuisance is an offence under section 78(1) of the Police, Crime Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. The maximum penalty is 26 weeks' custody and/or an unlimited fine on summary conviction; 10 years' custody and/or an unlimited fine on conviction on indictment.
The conspiracy offence, as is generally the case, has the same maximum penalties.
The offences relate to Just Stop Oil protests on the M25 at the start of November 2022. Over a period of four days, between 7th and 10th November, the group brought traffic to a halt by climbing gantries and sitting in the carriageway.
The action cost at least £765,000 to the economy, delayed more than 700,000 vehicles and disrupted traffic flow for more than 120 hours. It also cost the Metropolitan Police £1.1 million in resources.
On 2nd November 2022 an undercover journalist from The Sun newspaper, Scarlett Howes, infiltrated a Just Stop Oil Zoom meeting where the five defendants were busily hatching plans for their M25 campaign. Footage of the meeting was passed to the police.
In the finest traditions of Just Stop Oil it was very much a show trial. Only Hallam denied taking a leading role in the plot. The other four were hanging their hats on the idea that they could use their environmental arguments to tug on the heart strings of the jury.
Unfortunately for them HHJ Chris Hehir was having none of it, directing the jury that any suggestion that the group's actions were necessary to prevent the future "emergency" of climate change did not amount to a defence in law and was to be disregarded.
On this occasion the jury did just that, returning guilty verdicts in relation to all five defendants.
As discussed in one of my earlier articles, a recent Court of Appeal judgment has upheld the view that the climate change defence is "too remote" to justify the commission of offences in the here and now.
On the conclusion of the trial, HHJ Hehir made it abundantly clear that the five were heading to prison.
Sentencing the defendants, he said: "The offending of all five of you is very serious indeed and lengthy custodial sentences must follow.
"I acknowledge that at least some of the concerns are shared by many, but the plain fact is that each of you has some time ago crossed the line from concerned campaigner to fanatic."
Hallam was jailed for 5 years.
Shaw, Whittaker De Abreu, Lancaster and Gethin were each jailed for 4 years.
That's one environmental problem solved, at least for the short term.
I should probably conclude by saying that I am all for the right of protest. However, with the right of protest comes the responsibility of doing it in a lawful manner that doesn't cause untold disruption, inconvenience and misery to other people.
I can't get over the arrogance of these people. To think that they somehow have more right to block the road than the thousands of law-abiding motorists have to drive on it - motorists who have paid an absolute fortune for their vehicles, fuel, tax and insurance.
I am sure the "Whole Truth Five" will want to appeal their sentences, but they're probably on a hiding to nothing with that one. It is the will of Parliament, after all, that public nuisances like them can spend up to a decade behind bars.
Update (19/7/24): HHJ Chris Hehir's sentencing remarks have now been published.
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