The trial of the first four Insulate Britain supporters to be tried by jury, which began on Monday, was deferred on Thursday after the prosecution failed to distinguish between disruption caused by different M25 roadblocks that happened on the same day last year.
The case, being heard at Inner London Crown Court, was deferred until June 2023 after the Judge dismissed the jury and asked the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to consider whether proceeding with the trial was in the public interest.
Daniel Shaw, 37, a public sector worker from Northampton, Karen Wildin, 58, an English Teacher from Leicester, Maria Lee, 69, a retired teacher from Northampton and Victoria Lindsell, 67, also a teacher from Rugby were being tried on two counts of Public Nuisance relating to Insulate Britain’s campaign of nonviolent civil resistance on the M25 last year undertaken to demand the UK government insulates Britain’s cold and leaky homes. [1] [2]
The two counts heard during the trial related to arrests that took place on Monday 13th September 2021 at Poyle Interchange at Junction 14 M25 close to Staines and on Wednesday 15th September at Junction 25 M25 close to Enfield as part of 9 week campaign of civil resistance around the M25 network. One hundred and seventy four people took part in the campaign which led to eight hundred and fifty seven arrests. We reminded the government every single day of the campaign that they could stop the disruption immediately by committing to Insulate Britain.
The case against a different group of Insulate Britain supporters who were arrested nearby on the M25 (13th September, M25 J13/14 Stanwell) on the same day has already been heard. Despite blocking the motorway itself, some members of the other group were acquitted of the lesser charge of Wilful Obstruction of the Highway at Horsham magistrates court on 5th October this year. [3][4]
The trial at Inner London Crown Court this week is the first jury trial of 51 trials scheduled to take place over the next 13 months. If found guilty the supporters could face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The next jury trial of our supporters is due to begin 30th November also at Inner London Crown Court is likely to now be adjourned until June 2023, after yesterday’s deferral.
The Crown Prosecution Service has chosen to summon a total of 56 supporters to answer at least 201 charges of Public Nuisance across at least 51 jury trials the last of which is scheduled to begin on 4th December 2023. These trials are planned to be heard across Inner London, Hove, Lewes and Reading Crown Courts and we estimate will take up around one thousand four hundred and twenty eight hours of court time.
ENDS
Press contact: 07762987334
Email: insulatebritainpress@protonmail.com
High quality photos and video footage available here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Kucq-NfhnZLGJWwLx1HX03cWR7M9Y2-m
Website: https://www.insulatebritain.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/insulatebritain
Twitter: https://twitter.com/insulatelove
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8N5mAeeCLbD-AFUqtPaF0g
Notes to Editors
[1] Insulate Britain is a campaign group that is calling on the UK government to put in place policy and funding for a national home insulation programme starting with all social housing by 2025, and create a meaningful plan to insulate the entire UK housing stock by 2030.
Further information about Insulate Britain and our demands here:
https://insulatebritain.com/
Technical Report on home energy efficiency here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jt5FI-kinEXoqZtPDrCvnAVQ2EFn8Aea/view
Insulate Britain ‘Blue Lights’ policy: our policy is, and has always been, to move out of the way for emergency vehicles with ‘blue lights’ on.
[2] https://insulatebritain.com/2021/09/13/get-the-job-done/
[3] Six of our supporters were acquitted at Horsham Magistrates Court for at least eighteen charges of Wilful Obstruction of the Highway relating to our campaign on the M25 last year; Di Bligh, Dr Diana Warner, Reverend Sue Parfitt, Oliver Rock, Steve Gower, and Benjamin Buse.
The dates and locations of the acquitted charges are; 13th September M25 J13/14 Stanwell, 13th September M25 J6 Godstone, 15th September M25 J8/9 Reigate, 17th September M25 J9 Leatherhead, 21st September M25 J9/10 Cobham.
[4] https://insulatebritain.com/2022/10/11/statement-judge-rules-the-moral-thing-to-do-in-these-times-is-to-sit-on-the-m25/