Climate change activists fined for scaling Kelpies

Lewis Conroy and Hannah Taylor climbed more than 30m (98ft) to the top of one of the Kelpies

Two climate change activists who climbed more than 30m (98ft) to the top of one of the Kelpies in Falkirk have been found guilty of causing a breach of the peace.

Hannah Taylor, 23, and Lewis Conroy, 22, were each fined £420 over the incident in the Helix park last year.

Falkirk Sheriff Court heard their actions put police, who had to climb up to remove them from the sculpture, at risk.

The duo were described by officers as being "oblivious to the danger" they were in.

Scottish Canals and Helix operator Falkirk Council lost nearly £2,000 in revenue as a result of the incident.

Sheriff Craig Harris said Taylor, a mathematician, and Conroy, a cloud computing systems designer, were "both obviously passionate about climate change" and were "contributing to society through their employment or studies".

But he added: "The fact the accused were polite and civil throughout their interactions with the police does not change the nature of their conduct from a breach of the peace into something that was not."

Taylor and Conroy, who both described themselves as experienced climbers, scaled the landmark structure in the early morning of 23 July last year, and attached a banner to the horse's neck.

More than 200 visitors had their tours of the structures postponed or cancelled after the park closed.

Boats were also prevented from using the canal during the alert.

The Kelpies are a popular tourist attraction

Taylor, of Dronfield Woodhouse, Derbyshire, and Conroy, of Glasgow, accepted they scaled the sculpture but denied that doing so constituted a breach of the peace.

Taylor said she had acted because climate change unchecked would lead to "the total collapse of society".

Meanwhile, Conroy said he "could not live with himself" if he stood by and did nothing.

Police negotiator Alan Jenkins said he was "suspended within the structure for 40 minutes" by special operations officers to speak to the pair, who by then were "between the ears" of the horse.

Some 16 rope access officers and four supervisors from Police Scotland's special operations unit at Fettes, Edinburgh, were sent to the scene.

PC Jenkins said Conroy and Taylor seemed "oblivious to the danger" they were in and that he was worried that their banner could blow across the motorway.

PC Jenkins told the court: "When I saw them on the top I was frankly amazed at their disregard for their own safety. They didn't have helmets on.

"My fear was there could be injuries through misadventure - causing a fatality either to themselves or my colleagues working there."

PC Andrew Baird, a rope access officer, said the climbing equipment that the pair were using was new, but "absolutely not safe" for use on the Kelpies because the sharp metal edges of the sculpture could have "very easily" severed the climbing straps they were using.

When asked what could be done to get the pair to climb down, they told the officer to “stop using fossil fuel”.

Special operations officers were instructed to remove the pair, and given the choice of climbing back inside the sculpture or the "more dangerous" option of being lowered down the outside strapped to stretchers, they opted to climb back down inside, accompanied by police.

They were then arrested.