Today at Inner London Crown Court, Judge Silas Reid jailed another Insulate Britain supporter after she vowed to continue in civil resistance.
Louise Lancaster stated that she would continue in civil resistance until the government takes appropriate action to reduce emissions and protect life. She was given a 5 week custodial sentence, with no costs. She will serve at least half of her sentence. Five other supporters who appeared today were given suspended sentences.
Louise Lancaster, Nick Till, Julie Mecoli, Stefania Morosi, Alex Roger and Gregory Frey appeared in court today for sentencing after being found guilty of public nuisance at trial on the 31st of March 2023. This charge was in relation to a peaceful protest that saw them blocking Upper Thames Street on the 25th October 2021. This action was part of the nonviolent civil resistance campaign the group undertook in 2021 to demand the UK Government insulate Britain’s cold and leaky homes. [1] [2]
In her mitigation statement today, Louise Lancaster, 57, a teacher from Cambridge said:
“I am more proud of my civil resistance with Insulate Britain than anything else I have done in my life. I feel immensely privileged to have been able to take nonviolent direct action to challenge the hideous injustice being imposed by the few on the many.”
“Insulate Britain, a lifeline for the vulnerable: A no brainer demand that the government could enact without breaking a sweat. To save 8,500 deaths the previous winter in cold homes, take 250,000 people out of fuel poverty as insulation could decrease their bills by 80% and reduce emissions, something this government is breaking international law and its own pitiful net zero targets to avoid.”
“I fully intend to continue in civil resistance until all necessary measures are put in place to reduce emissions, work for social and climate justice and protect all life. People acting in civil resistance is the only thing that is cutting through the veil of misinformation, apathy and denial. We have no time. We have to act now. It is absolutely vital for me to do all I can. Civil resistance works – I will continue to take action on the streets.”
In his sentencing remarks to Louise, Judge Reid said
“Your statement clearly shows it’s very likely, if not inevitable, you will commit a protest offence in the near future. You said you were more proud of your civil resistance than anything else you’ve done in your life.”
Nick Till was sentenced to 6 weeks suspended for 18 months, 40 hours unpaid work, £3,500 costs and a £128 surcharge. Alex Roger was sentenced to 40 days, suspended for 18 months, 100 hours unpaid work, no costs and a £128 surcharge. Julie Mecoli received a 4 week sentence suspended for 18 months, 75 hours unpaid work over 12 months, no costs and a £128 surcharge. Stefani Morosi received a 6 weeks sentence suspended for 18 months, 100 hours unpaid work, no costs and £128 surcharge. Gregory Frey was sentenced to 5 weeks suspended for 18 months and a £128 surcharge.
In his mitigation statement today, Nick Till, a Professor at Sussex University said:
“I am not going to regale the court with more heartbreaking facts and figures about the evidence of climate and environmental breakdown that are being published daily. Everyone in this court knows them very well already, and if you have chosen to ignore them, my presenting them again is going to make no difference. But I would just remind you that the official Climate Change Committee’s report published two days ago stated that ‘our confidence in the UK meeting its goals from 2030 onwards is now markedly less than it was in our previous assessment a year ago’. Not only are we not making progress – we are going backwards.”
Talking about her trial, Stefania Morosi, 46, a Yoga teacher and mum of 2 boys from London said:
“I was looking forward to being in front of a jury. Unfortunately they were not free to judge us in a whole meaningful way, and were encouraged to leave their conscience at the door. It was deeply disheartening to hear they found us guilty, but it was also expected under the restrictive rulings imposed by judge Reid.”
Since Insulate Britain was last active the campaign’s demands have been vindicated, with an energy crisis followed by a cost of living making the issue of home insulation more pressing than ever. Fuel poverty remains one of the most urgent issues facing Britons. Insulate Britain officially closed its campaign in February 2022, but later that year Grant Shapps announced a £1 billion home insulation fund. [3]
Three people have been jailed since February for telling the truth in court in defiance of Judge Reid’s gagging order which sought to ban defendants speaking about their motivations, fuel poverty or the climate crisis. A further six have been sent to prison after pledging to continue in civil resistance despite being found guilty of public nuisance. The judge who has presided over all the Insulate Britain jury trials at Inner London Crown Court, Judge Reid, has indicated that only immediate custodial sentences rather than suspended sentences are appropriate for anyone who vows to continue in civil resistance. [4][5]
ENDS
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Notes to editor:
[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] http://insulatebritain.com/2021/10/25/breaking-we-wont-stand-by-while-the-government-kills-our-kids/
[5] https://insulatebritain.com/2023/04/20/breaking-courts-prove-themselves-to-be-morally-bankrupt-as-five-people-are-jailed-in-one-week-for-vowing-to-continue-in-civil-resistance/