31st January 2022, 8:30am –
A further 19 Insulate Britain supporters face trial at the High Court tomorrow for breaking the M25 injunction granted to National Highways in September 2021. This brings to 27 the number of ordinary people charged with contempt of court as a result of the Insulate Britain campaign. [1]
Ten of tomorrow’s defendants face court for the first time with Insulate Britain, eight are returning for a second time and one faces a third hearing. Ben Taylor, 27, who is currently serving a six month sentence given at the first committal hearing for the M25 injunction, will be transferred from HMP Thameside for his days in court. [2]
Jess Causby, 25, a cafe worker and volunteer from Manchester said
“Tomorrow’s hearing at the High Court will be the third time that the government is using civil law, rather than trial by jury, to try and halt our campaign of resistance. They know that a jury of ordinary people would not convict us. A jury would agree that the government is failing to protect the people of this country from the misery of fuel poverty and the growing threat of societal collapse caused by the climate crisis.”
Rev Sue Parfitt, 79, an Anglican priest from Bristol said
“When I was sitting on the motorway , I knew why I was there – to flag up justice for the poor, to witness to the truth of the climate crisis. But now I am being deprived of my human rights to protest and to manifest my religious belief by this civil case against me brought by National Highways.
“I want to tell the public to wake up! Do whatever you can to put pressure on the government to take meaningful action to slow down the impending climate catastrophe.”
Biff Whipster, 54, a retail worker, from Canterbury said
“It’s my second time in this court for breaching injunctions. Last time I asked the prosecution team to do the moral thing and close their laptops and bin their papers and walk away. 50 days have passed since then. What a waste of intellect, skills and resources. Just imagine if that prosecution team were instead focussed on helping dig us out of this self-inflicted hole of climate and environmental collapse? It’s very sad.”
“I’ve made a moral choice. It’s a case of watching this slow-burn genocide and destruction of our natural world unfurl, or resist. I am a parent. I have no choice but to sacrifice my liberty and my future for the next generation”
If convicted tomorrow, the group face the potential for unlimited fines, seizure of assets and a prison sentence of up to two years. The longest sentence imposed on an Insulate Britain supporter to date was six months, handed down to Ben Taylor in November. He will have served half the sentence in two weeks and is due to be released. However, he faces the prospect of having additional time added to his sentence, even if the other defendants receive suspended sentences, as we understand that there is no legal precedent for a justice giving a suspended sentence to anyone currently in prison.
ENDS
Press contact: 07737 457105
Email: insulatebritainpress@protonmail.com
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Website: https://www.insulatebritain.com/
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Notes to Editors
[1] The 19 named defendants are : Rev Sue Parfitt 79, Ben Taylor 27, Ruth Jarman 58, Steve Pritchard 62, Paul Sheeky 46, Dr Ben Buse 36, Biff Whipster 54, Dr Diana Warner 62, Stephen Gower 55, Theresa Norton 63, David Nixon 35, Ellie Litten 35, Arne Springorum 49,
Gabriella Ditton 28, Indigo Rumbelow 27, Jessica Causby 25, Liam Norton 37, Stephanie Aylett 27, Christian Rowe 24.
[2] 10 supporters of Insulate Britain have received prison sentences so far with a further 8 supporters being given suspended sentences. Ben Taylor is the only person from the Insulate Britain campaign that remains in prison. He is due to be released later this month.
[3] About Insulate Britain
Insulate Britain is a new 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.
We demand the Prime Minister and the government to #getonwiththejob, face up to their responsibility and lead our country through the climate crisis.
We are ordinary British citizens with simple and achievable demands to #INSULATEBRITAIN
The UK government must immediately promise to fully fund and take responsibility for the insulation of all social housing in Britain.
We demand a national home insulation strategy that gives British people the justice they deserve: a future for our loved ones, lower energy bills and safer living conditions.
We are scared: our livelihoods are at risk and the futures of our children are uncertain
The Climate Crisis is a threat to all: we demand the government to act now.
Our Demands
1. That the UK government immediately promises to fully fund and take responsibility for the insulation of all social housing in Britain by 2025;
2. That the UK government immediately promises to produce within four months a legally binding national plan to fully fund and take responsibility for the full low-energy and low-carbon whole-house retrofit , with no externalised costs, of all homes in Britain by 2030 as part of a just transition to full decarbonisation of all parts of society and the economy.
Further information about Insulate Britain and our demands here: https://www.insulatebritain.com/
Technical Report on home energy efficiency here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jt5FI-kinEXoqZtPDrCvnAVQ2EFn8Aea/view
[4] 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.