Three Just Stop Oil supporters were given suspended sentences of eight or nine weeks at Guildford Crown Court today for disabling petrol pumps at the UK’s largest petrol station in 2022, to demand an end to new fossil fuel projects.[1]
Tez Burns and Peter Lay were found guilty of criminal damage and Charles Laurie was found guilty of possession of a hammer with intent to damage property, at their trial in August 2025. Along with 5 others on trial that day they were also acquitted of public nuisance. They were among 35 Just Stop Oil supporters, who blocked three M25 petrol stations and disabled scores of petrol pumps at Cobham, Clacket Lane and Thurrock on 24 August 2022, leading the Daily Mail to proclaim that “no petrol was available for M25 drivers”. [2][3][4]
Today the Judge, Recorder L Harris, handed down 9 week suspended sentences for Tez Burns and Peter Lay and 8 weeks for Charles Laurie, all suspended for 18 months. In addition, Peter and Charles must complete 120 hours of community service and Tez will be subject to a 8pm to 6am curfew for eight weeks. They were ordered to pay compensation to Shell of £650 each.
At trial the Judge ruled that those accused of criminal damage or attempted criminal damage could not claim they were exercising their rights to peaceful protest under the ECHR article 10 and 11 on the grounds that gently tapping a petrol pump screen with a glass hammer was an ‘act of violence’. He therefore directed the jury that the defendants had no lawful excuse for their actions. However, along with their co-defendants they were able to refer to the agreed facts in the case, which included several key facts relating to the climate crisis, including a quote from the Treasury’s Net Zero interim report in 2020 that “climate change is an existential threat to humanity”.
Following the sentencing, Charles Laurie, 62, a retired Engineer and father of three from Kent said:
“This was one small act of nonviolent resistance and I don’t regret for a minute stepping up and taking action. But if the state believes that “punishing” people for standing up for everyone’s right to life will stop people resisting their genocidal policies, they are very wrong. Global heating is accelerating and global oil production has yet to peak. We have to face the fact that billions of people may ultimately die as a result of the continued inaction of governments, including our own. Resistance is inevitable.”
In 2024 Just Stop Oil successfully won its original demand of ‘no new oil and gas’ and on March 27th 2025 announced an end to the campaign of action. However, our supporters will continue to tell the truth in court, to speak out for our political prisoners and to help build what comes next.
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.
[2] Action press release
Breaking: Just Stop Oil blocks 3 service stations on the M25 https://juststopoil.org/2022/08/24/breaking-just-stop-oil-blocks-3-service-stations-on-the-m25/
[3] Fury as ‘NO fuel is available’ for M25 drivers after eco-mob SMASH petrol pumps: Police arrest 31 Just Stop Oil activists during rush hour wrecking sprees at Cobham, Clacket Lane and Thurrock forecourts https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11140617/Eco-mob-blockade-three-M25-services-rush-hour-32-Just-Stop-Oil-activists-sit-protest.html
[4] Trial press release
Eight Just Stop Oil supporters acquitted of public nuisance, while three found guilty for disabling petrol pumps https://juststopoil.org/2025/08/28/eight-just-stop-oil-supporters-acquitted-of-public-nuisance-while-three-found-guilty-for-disabling-petrol-pumps/