Environmental protestors sentenced after targeting Essex oil depot
Campaigners jumped the fence at the Exolum station in Thurrock, before chaining themselves to pipework on the site
A group of fifteen environmental campaigners have been sentenced for shutting down an Essex oil terminal earlier this year.
The group jumped the fence at the Exolum oil station on April 11, before climbing onto the pipework and chaining themselves in place.
All were safely removed by police and were charged with aggravated trespass.
Twelve of the group denied the charge and stood trial at Chelmsford Magistrates Court, where they were found guilty.
All have been handed a 12 month conditional discharge, fined ÂŁ300, and ordered to pay a ÂŁ22 surcharge.
The group were:
- Stephanie Aylett, 28, of no fixed address
- Louis Hawkins, 22, of no fixed address
- Hannah Hunt, 23, of no fixed address
- Eben Lazarus, 22, of no fixed address
- Cressida Gethin, 20, of Dorstone, Hereford
- Peter Bailey, 67, of Willow Lane, Lancaster
- Rosalind Bird, 38, of Stanley Chase, Bristol
- Nathan McGovern, 22, Arcadian Gardens, Haringey
- Mitchell White, 22, of Highbrook Close, Brighton
- John Sasak, 32, of Bucklawren Road, Looe, Cornwall
- Rosa Sharkey, 22, of Chase Avenue, Enfield
- James Skeet, 34, of Drayton Street, Manchester.
The group that admitted the charge included:
- Louis McKechnie, 21, of Clearmount Road, Weymouth
- Matthew Powell, 21, of Lower British Road, Bath
- Benjamin Mitchell, 21, of Buckingham Street, in Brighton
All were handed the same sentence, although Mitchell will serve an eight month conditional discharge instead.
Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow said:
“Those involved in this incident not only put their own lives in danger but also the lives of those who then had to work hard to remove them.
“We know those involved in this incident believe they were carrying out an act of protest. As a force, we are not in any way anti-protest, and we will always seek to allow peaceful protest to go ahead where it can safely be accommodated.
“But when dangerous disruption takes place, we are left with no choice but to take action and seek authorisation to charge those involved with the Crown Prosecution Service.
“On this occasion, given the danger which the actions of those involved presented, we acted swiftly in order to keep everyone in the area safe and to ensure disruption was kept to an absolute minimum.”