Two Just Stop Oil supporters have been sentenced today after being found guilty of conspiring to disrupt the M25. These actions were carried out in November 2022, with a view to demanding an end to all new oil and gas projects. This demand was subsequently won and has now become government policy. [1]
Abigail Percy-Ratcliffe (25) and Ian Bates (65) appeared before Judge Tomlinson at Southwark Crown Court. Each was found guilty in March of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance. A further six Just Stop Oil supporters were acquitted of the same offence during that trial. [2]
Abigail was given a 15 month sentence suspended for 21 months, whilst Ian Bates received an 18 month sentence suspended for 21 months running consecutively with a six month suspended sentence for a previous offence. Both were ordered to undertake 100 hours of unpaid work. This sentencing is the first in a Crown Court to take place since Just Stop Oil ended its street campaign in April, after having won its original demand. [3]
Before sentencing Abigail Percy-Ratcliff said:
“In April we were found guilty of ‘conspiracy to commit a public nuisance’. The court was indeed correct that there has been a conspiracy, just not the one that they claim. The real conspirators are the oil and gas companies, the far right think-tanks and the politicians that they’ve bought. They have conspired to preserve corporate profits over the lives and livelihoods of the people of this country and countless others around the world.
Just Stop Oil supporters take action in full knowledge that we will be held accountable for our actions. No-one relishes facing the full force of the state, however we must face the reality that organisations like The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries are warning us of; which is of 4 billion dead, in the not unlikely scenario of 3 degrees of warming above pre-industrial levels. That is half the world’s population. When will those conspiring to kill these people be held to account?”
During his mitigation statement Ian Bates said:
“I described during my evidence that it is injustice that really drives me. I’ve devoted my time and effort to averting the climate crisis. I believe all of us should do the same. There is a real urgency to our situation. climate scientists are warning that we have passed tipping points that have baked in collapse.”
Today’s proceedings follows the July 2024 sentencing of the ‘Whole Truth Five’, who were also found guilty of conspiring to disrupt the M25. [4]
Roger Hallam received five years, and the others Daniel Shaw, Lucia Whittaker De Abreu, Louise Lancaster, and Cressida Gethin got four years each, marking the longest sentences for non-violent protest in UK history.
In March 2025, the Court of Appeal ruled the sentences excessive, finding that Judge Hehir had wrongly excluded the defendants’ human rights and conscientious motivations from his sentencing considerations. Hallam’s sentence was reduced to four years; Shaw and Lancaster’s to three; and Whittaker De Abreu and Gethin’s to 30 months. [5] [6]
Two more Just Stop Oil supporters – Phoebe Plummer and David Mann are scheduled to be sentenced on the 15th of May in Southwark Crown court for the same offence linked to the 2022 M25 action. [7]
Just Stop Oil continues to stand by those prosecuted for peaceful resistance against fossil fuel expansion in the face of rapidly accelerating climate collapse.
ENDS
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Notes to Editors
[1] Just Stop Oil is a member of the A22 Network of civil resistance projects.
April 26th 2025 was the last Just Stop Oil action, but our supporters will continue to tell the truth in the courts, speak out for our political prisoners, and call out the UK’s oppressive anti-protest laws.
Just Stop Oil continues to rely on small donations from the public to make this happen.
[3] https://juststopoil.org/2025/03/27/just-stop-oil-is-hanging-up-the-hi-vis/
[4] https://juststopoil.org/2024/07/18/whole-truth-five-sentenced-to-4-5-years-at-southwark-crown-court/
[5] https://juststopoil.org/2025/03/07/appeal-court-fails-to-protect-citizens/
[7] https://juststopoil.org/2025/04/09/phoebe-plummer-found-guilty-in-third-gantry-conspiracy-trial/
