An Insulate Britain supporter who defied a judge’s gagging order has been told that she will face ‘no further action’, while four supporters were found guilty of public nuisance in the twelfth trial relating to Insulate Britain’s 2021 campaign of nonviolent civil resistance demanding that the government insulate Britain’s cold and leaky homes. [1]
Louise Lancaster, Julie Mecoli, Stefania Morosi and Nicholas Till were charged with causing a public nuisance in relation to the Insulate Britain roadblock at Upper Thames Street on 25th October 2021. After approximately 3 hours of deliberation the jury found them guilty. They will appear for sentencing on 30th June. [2]
At the end of the trial, Judge Reid ruled that Louise Lancaster would not face a committal hearing for her breach of his gagging order and that there would be ‘no further action’ for her remarks on fuel poverty deaths or government criminality. [3]
Cameron Ford, a spokesperson for Insulate Britain said today:
“Today is a huge win for free speech in Britain. Since October last year Judge Reid has been intent on outlawing in his courtroom any mention of the physical reality we face. Our supporters have been banned from speaking about why they sat on roads back in 2021 and from mentioning their desire to protect themselves, the lives of their families and the very fabric of society.
“In 2023 our reality must be faced – thousands of people are freezing to death in their homes in Britain and our government’s criminality is signing a death sentence for millions of people around the globe.
“We may never know why Judge Reid has retreated from his gagging order. Was he feeling discomfort at sending caring people like David, Amy and Cllr Giovanna to prison, or responding to the outrage of his peers in the legal profession? Maybe he has been swayed by the ‘court of public opinion’, as many have been horrified to see him making a mockery of British Justice?
“Whatever the reason, we are very glad that today Judge Reid has come to his senses and put an end to his campaign of jailing people for speaking the whole truth in UK courtrooms.”
Speaking after the trial, Louise Lancaster, 57, a teacher from Cambridge said:
“I am so proud to be part of the Insulate Britain campaign that brought a new level of civil resistance to challenge criminal Government inaction. We will keep pushing for the mass insulation of homes to prevent thousands dying of cold and stop millions of families living in fuel poverty.
“As is clear from yesterday’s Energy Security announcement, our government has no intention of taking the necessary action to protect its people from the climate crisis. It has broken the social contract. This is treason, and anyone in the civil service, police and criminal justice system who aids this government’s illegal actions is complicit in genocide.”
Stefania Morosi, 45, a yoga teacher and mum of two kids from London said:
“Conscience has become a dirty word in court, the truth is banned, and the government believes it has won. But let’s face facts, Insulate Britain has once again exposed the government’s refusal to act on home insulation as cowardly and vindictive and their refusal to protect our country and our children from the climate crisis as genocidal and treasonous.
This is not the end of something, it is the beginning.”
So far three Insulate Britain supporters have been sent to prison for up to eight weeks after being found in contempt of court and refusing to apologise for telling a jury that fuel poverty and the climate crisis had motivated them to sit in the road. Giovanna Lewis, 65, a town councillor from Portland, Dorset, Amy Pritchard, 37, a horticultural worker, from Walthamstow and David Nixon a care worker from Barnsley have all now been released. [4] [5]
In the twelve Insulate Britain jury trials for public nuisance charges to date, two trials have resulted in a hung jury, two trials have resulted in acquittals, six have resulted in a guilty verdict and two have been deferred.
The first sentences for public nuisance in relation to the Insulate Britain 2021 campaign were handed down on 13th March. Stephen Pritchard was given a custodial prison sentence of 5 weeks after he indicated to the court he would continue in civil resistance, while Roman Paluch, Ruth Cook and Oliver Rock, were given 6 week sentences suspended for 18 months and ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work in their communities.[6]
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 1428 hours of court time.
ENDS
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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.