Essex oil protesters sentenced over injunction breach

Campaigners Dr Patrick Hart, Ruth Cook, Joy Corrigan, and Stephen Jarvis, all received a suspended prison sentence after breaching a High Court injunction by blocking access to a petrol station during a Just Stop Oil protest

Five climate activists have received suspended prison sentences after breaching a High Court injunction by blocking access to a petrol station.

The Just Stop Oil members sat on the road at Thurrock Motorway Services in Grays, Essex, on 24 August.

They all admitted breaking terms of a civil order granted to Thurrock Council and Essex County Council in May.

At a hearing in London, Mr Justice Bourne said the case involved a "deliberate flouting of a court order".

He said the harm caused was "not lessened" by protesters having "conscientious motives".

George Oakenfold, 78, also received a suspended prison sentence

Ruth Cook, 70, Joy Corrigan, 71, Stephen Jarvis, 66, and George Oakenfold, 78, were all handed a four-week sentence, suspended for two years, on condition they did not breach injunctions again.

Dr Patrick Hart, 36, received a sentence of four months, suspended for two years on condition he committed no further breaches, and was also ordered to pay a £2,000 fine.

The NHS GP had also caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to 16 pumps with a hammer and by spraying them with orange paint and "obstructed or otherwise interfered with the refuelling of vehicles".

The local authorities secured the injunction in May to "restrain unlawful acts of protest" in their areas, including forbidding blocking of any petrol station and interfering with deliveries or refuelling, the court was told.

Barrister Natalie Pratt, for the councils, said in written submissions that protesters, part of a larger group of 11 people, had "blocked, slowed down, obstructed or otherwise interfered with vehicular access" at the Esso petrol station between about 05:18 and 06:56 BST.

She said the councils did "not doubt the sincerity" of the activists' beliefs, but argued their "pre-meditated, intentional, and wilful" breaches had caused harm.

The cost of repairing pumps was £9,376.27, Ms Pratt said, adding that the forecourt was not fully operational until 18:00 BST the next day and the temporary closure led to lost profits of £1,146.06.

The protesters, who were unrepresented by lawyers, told the judge they felt it was their duty to highlight the risks of climate change through protest.

The judge said he accepted the protesters' assurances they would not breach the injunction again, and said he took their "good character" and "open and candid approach to the court" into account when suspending their sentences.