Just Stop Oil protest: Activists guilty of traffic disruption

Just Stop Oil protesters blocked roads in London in October

Six Just Stop Oil activists have been found guilty of disrupting traffic during a protest in central London.

Traffic queues formed by the National History Museum in both directions when 17 people sat on a busy dual carriageway junction, Westminster Magistrates' Court heard.

The protesters were convicted on Wednesday of wilful obstruction of the highway.

The convictions follow a two-day trial.

Two defendants, Benjamin Larsen, 25, from Wirral on Merseyside and Stephen Jarvis, 66, from Bideford in Devon were ordered to pay £480 each, including a £200 fine, £200 costs and an £80 victim surcharge.

The other four, Lora Johnson, 38, Ben Sansam, 38, Anna Retallack, 58, and Rachel Payne, 71, received a 12-month conditional discharge and were ordered to pay £226, including £200 costs and a £26 victim surcharge.

Sheila Shatford, 67, admitted one count of wilfully obstructing a highway during the trial and will be sentenced on Thursday.

The event on 19 October marked the 19th consecutive day of disruption in the capital caused by Just Stop Oil.

During the trial police footage of a nurse caught up in the traffic jam was played.

The footage, from the bodycam of Met PC Daniel Woodley, showed a woman approach the constable as he walked between queuing vehicles, telling him: "I'm a nurse waiting to do swabs on a VIP, do you mind if I do a U-ey (U-turn)?"

Five of the defendants had glued themselves to the road.

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