Just Stop Oil co-founder Roger Hallam has had his jail term for causing multi-million pound protest mayhem slashed as six eco-warriors today won an appeal against their sentences But in a flow to the group’s disruptive activities a further 10 climate campaigners had their cases dismissed by the Court of Appeal. Founder Roger Hallam and 15 other protesters were jailed last year for their roles in four demonstrations held by Just Stop Ooil, including climbing on gantries over the M25 and throwing soup over Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers painting.
They challenged their sentences at the Court of Appeal, with their lawyers claiming they were “manifestly excessive”. During Friday morning’s hearing there was an attempted further disruption as around two dozen supporters stood up and turned their backs on the judges while wearing white T-shirts with the words “Corruption in Court”.
In their judgment, the Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, Mr Justice Lavender and Mr Justice Griffiths ruled that six of the 16 should have their sentences reduced while dismissing the other appeals.
Hallam was originally jailed for five years for agreeing to disrupt traffic by having protesters climb onto gantries over the M25 for four successive days. His sentence was reduced to four years.
Daniel Shaw, Louise Lancaster, Lucia Whittaker De Abreu, and Cressida Gethin originally received four-year jail terms for their involvement in the same protest.
Shaw’s and Lancaster’s sentences were reduced to three years, while Whittaker De Abreu’s and Gethin’s sentences were reduced to 30 months.
Gaie Delap, who was previously jailed for 20 months for her role in protests on the M25 during which they climbed onto gantries over the motorway, had her sentence reduced to 18 months.
The M25 protests led to around 50,000 hours of delays and cost the Metropolitan Police more than £1.1m
The ten other protesters who had their sentences upheld included George Simonson, Theresa Higginson, Paul Bell and Paul Sousek for their roles in the M25 protests.
Larch Maxey, Chris Bennett, Samuel Johnson and Joe Howlett, who were jailed after occupying tunnels dug under the road leading to the Navigator Oil Terminal in Thurrock, Essex, also had their appeals dismissed.
The Court of Appeal also threw out the challenges of Phoebe Plummer and Anna Holland, who hurled soup “almost destroying” Van Gogh’s Sunflowers at the National Gallery in London.
Raj Chada, head of criminal defence at law firm Hodge Jones & Allen, which represents the other protesters, said: “The small reduction in the case of Roger Hallam recognises the extraordinarily excessive sentences that continue to be given out to protesters in England.
“It is, however, extremely disappointing that many of the other sentences were upheld.
“No country in Europe gives such draconian sentences for peaceful protests, proving we are out of kilter with the rest of the civilised world.
“We are reviewing the judgment and considering an appeal to the Supreme Court.”