Five Just Stop Oil Supporters have been found guilty of aggravated trespass, after causing disruption to one of largest oil terminals in Europe in 2022. The Just Stop Oil supporters were demanding that the government halt licensing and consents for the development of any new fossil-fuel projects in the UK. [1]
Oliver Clegg, Emily Brocklebank, Lou Hadden, Paul Morrison, Hannah Swarska and Morgan Trowland appeared before Judge Johnson, at Chelmsford Magistrates Court on Friday. All were charged with aggravated trespass at the Exolum Fuel Terminal in Grays, Essex, on the 10th April 2022. The case against Hannah Swarska was discontinued due to a lack of evidence. The others were sentenced to a six month conditional discharge with £222 costs, apart from Morgan Trowland, who was sentenced to one extra day in prison. Trowland has so far been imprisoned for over 150 days, without trial, in relation to climbing the Dartford Crossing in October 2022. [2]
Also at Chelmsford Magistrates, Stephanie Aylett, Peter Lay and Selma Heimedinger appeared before Judge Vilson last Monday. Stephanie Aylett and Peter Lay were found guilty of aggravated trespass and Selma Heimedinger was found guilty of wilful obstruction of the highway for disrupting key oil production facilities in Grays in Essex on the 6th April 2022. Stephanie Aylett was fined and sentenced to 120 hours community service. Peter Lay was fined and sentenced to 80 hours community service. Selma Heimedinger was charged £220 (inclusive of fees) and sentenced to a 18 month conditional discharge. [3]
A further five Just Stop Oil supporters were found guilty of wilful obstruction of the highway at Westminster Magistrates Court last Tuesday. All appeared before Judge Pilling for disrupting traffic at a key junction, near Mansion House tube station in London in October. Dion Dobrzynski, Stephen Gingell, Ben Plumpton, Simon Reding and Holly Exley were fined between £440 and £1120 and all were sentenced to a conditional discharge. [4]
These cases come as a further two Insulate Britain supporters have recently been imprisoned for simply speaking about the climate and cost of living crises in court. [5]
A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said:
“The judiciary is failing the British people. Judges would rather criminalise students, mothers and grandmothers, than take a stand for what is morally right. When good people are deemed to be breaking the law for resisting the destruction of everything they love, then the LAW IS WRONG.”
“When those sworn to tell the whole truth in court are imprisoned for doing just that, then the LAW IS WRONG.”
“When rampant corruption and criminality between the fossil fuel lobby, big business and those at the heart of government is deemed ‘lawful’ , putting millions at risk, then the LAW. IS. WRONG.”
Since the Just Stop Oil campaign launched on the 14th February 2022, there have been over 2,000 arrests and 138 people have spent time in prison, many without trial. There are currently two Just Stop Oil supporters and two Insulate Britain supporters in prison whilst awaiting trial or serving sentences for actions taken with the campaigns.
We stand with these four supporters in prison, with the 1,800 victims of our broken criminal justice system, imprisoned for over a year without trial and with the 1,700 murdered across the global south, for protecting all our lives. [6] [7]
This is the moment for us to come together and resist the destruction of everything we love, something that is being imposed on us by a few, who only seek to enrich themselves.
We’re done with begging. We are going to stop new fossil fuel projects whether those in power agree or not. As citizens, parents and children, we have every right under British law to protect ourselves and those we love.
We are the last generation who can solve this. Will you step up? Join us and Just Stop Oil.
ENDS
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Notes to Editors
[1] Just Stop Oil is a coalition of groups working together to demand that the government immediately halt all future licensing and consents for the exploration, development and production of fossil fuels in the UK. Just Stop Oil is a member of the A22 Network of civil resistance projects. Climate Emergency Fund is Just Stop Oil’s primary funder for recruitment, training, and capacity building.
[2] Link to press release from 10th April 2022- https://juststopoil.org/2022/04/10/breaking-just-stop-oil-supporters-block-3-oil-terminals-on-tenth-day-of-action/
[3] link to press release from 6th April- https://juststopoil.org/2022/04/06/occupy-25-young-people-enter-a-critical-oil-terminal-to-just-stop-oil/
[4] Link to press release from 27th Oct- https://juststopoil.org/2022/10/27/day-27-just-stop-oil-blocks-mansion-house-in-london/
[5] https://insulatebritain.com/2023/03/03/two-insulate-britain-supporters-jailed-for-seven-weeks-for-mentioning-fuel-poverty-and-climate-in-court/
[6] Fair Trials reports that the number of people being held in prison without trial in England and Wales is at its highest for over 50 years.
[7] A recent report from Global Witness says that more than 1,700 people have died while trying to prevent mining, oil drilling or logging on their lands.
