Extinction Rebellion co-founder spared jail over plot to close Heathrow using drones

Extinction Rebellion's co-founder has been spared jail after plotting with others to fly drones near Heathrow in order to close the airport until the Government reversed plans for a third runway there.

Roger Hallam and other eco-activists wanted backing for the protest, launched under the name Heathrow Pause, to go viral and shut down the airport while also triggering arrests and lots of publicity, London'sIsleworth Crown Court was told during the trial.

Hallam and co-defendant Larch Maxey said in their defence they had no intent to cause a public nuisance or to close Heathrow, it was "merely a publicity exercise", which was rejected by the jury, James Curtis KC, prosecuting, said.

A number of arrests were made during the protest in September 2019, but instead of hundreds of people attending to fly drones, the "movement died where it was", Mr Curtis said.

Hallam, 57, of Wandsworth, south London, and Maxey, 51, of no fixed abode, were found guilty of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance on December 15 last year after a four-week trial.

Michael Lynch-White, 33, of Lewes, Sussex, previously pleaded guilty to the same charge.

Valerie Milner-Brown, 71, of Islington, north London, was found not guilty of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance.

Hallam, Maxey and Lynch-White conspired with others on or before September 14 2019 to close the transport hub to air traffic by the "unlawful flying" of drones within Heathrow's flight restriction zone, the court heard.

Mr Curtis said the intention was "not to close it for a day, but some documents say a week, two weeks" and he said there are documents which show the intention was to close Heathrow "indefinitely until the Government would agree publicly to reverse a national policy permitting the third runway extension at Heathrow".

There was no intention to cause any crash or to harm or endanger lives of individuals, but with the "intention of causing inevitable chaos to the public", Mr Curtis said.

Mr Curtis said documents show the intention was to cause "massive disruption to the public, to flights in and out of this country".

Heathrow Airport and the police had to go to "inordinate lengths to prepare for the worst", Mr Curtis said.

The policing cost to the public was in excess of £1 million, and 1,600 officer shifts had to be moved, the court was told.

Hallam and Maxey were "instrumental in either the creation or carrying through of this plan" and Lynch-White also was "closely involved", the prosecution said.

Hallam, representing himself, said the "public nuisance was insignificant to non-existent in my case" and there was "no evidence" he played a leadership role in this offence.

He added: "The public nuisance was simply to create publicity for the criminality of creating a third runway."

Michael Goold, defending Maxey, said the defendant was "motivated by the sincere heartfelt concern, and justified concern, about the climate emergency".

Raj Chada, defending Lynch-White, said: "During the course of his work, he becomes aware of the dangers of the climate crisis."

Judge Martin Edmunds KC said the plan was developed under the banner of Heathrow Pause and there was evidence Extinction Rebellion members chose not to become involved as they "valued plans to be too extreme".

He added that the small number of drones flown "did not cause any disruption to flights".

Hallam and Maxey were each sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for 18 months.

Lynch-White was handed 17 months, suspended for 18 months.

Hallam was told to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, Maxey has to complete 300 hours and Lynch-White will have to complete 262 hours. All three defendants will have to complete 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Lynch-White said after the sentencing: "That was very close to an immediate custodial sentence for a protest that caused no disruption whatsoever and at a time where anyone in the UK right now will know it's not stopped raining and it is awful.

"So the courts are still trying to punish, even though we got a suspended sentence, we still got lots of unpaid work."

Maxey told the PA news agency: "I'm feeling deeply upset and frustrated by the criminal injustice system that's failing to address the climate emergency and like the judge saying he's not allowed to consider climate collapse when he's sentencing us.

"This action was about trying to stop societal collapse from climate breakdown, which is happening now in real time.

"Four years ago, when we did this action, it was nowhere near as bad as it is now.

"Now, scientists are talking about going over 1.5C, in that context, I'm terrified. I'm gutted. I feel like I've been punched in the stomach.

"However, on a human personal level, I can see my son now, I can see my family, I can see my friends and I can carry on with the campaigning work that I'm doing."

Hear the latest news on Downtown on FM, DAB, smart speaker or the Rayo app.