A Brighton man is among nine Insulate Britain climate campaigners to face a trial by jury after blocking the M25 last September.
Alexander Rodger, 32, of Ditchling Road, Brighton, appeared at Crawley Magistrates’ Court charged with causing a public nuisance.
Rodger and his eight co-defendants who face the same charge all chose to face a jury.
Yesterday (Monday 4 April) they were bailed to appear in the crown court on Monday 9 May.
The nine are understood to be the first group of Insulate Britain protesters to have been brought before the courts.
They were arrested after blocking Junction 3 of the M25 motorway on Monday 13 September last year.
The others were
- Jessica Causby, 25, of Longfield Avenue, London
- Priyadaka Conway, 60, of Auckland Road, Cambridge
- Catherine Eastburn, 54, of St Gerard’s Close, London
- Cameron Ford, 31, of The Homing, Cambridge
- Gregory Frey, 25, of Manor House, Ely
- Oliver Rock, 41, of Red Post Hill, London
- Joseph Shepherd, 21, of Percy Road, Horsham
- Michael Wiley, 75, of Alburgh Road, Shelton, Norfolk
…
Insulate Britain said last week that 117 people in all had been charged by Essex and Kent police for blocking the M23, other roads and Dover port from last September to November.
They face 146 charges of causing a public nuisance.
The outside of the courthouse in Crawley yesterday had been sprayed with the words Insulate Britain.
Seventeen more cases were listed at the same court in the afternoon. All 17 defendants were charged with wilfully obstructing a highway after protesters blocked the M25 at Stanwell on Monday 13 September.
The court was told that protesters went on to the motorway at Junction 13 at about 8.43am and that the police arrived at about 9am.
By 11.43am the motorway had been cleared but not before the protest caused disruption that was estimated to have cost more than £62,000.
One of the defendants, retired biologist Judith Bruce, 83, of Kilfield Road, Bishopston, Swansea, pleaded guilty and was fined £200 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £34 victim surcharge, totalling £319.
Tessa-Marie Burns, 33, of Beaufort Court, Cadle, Swansea, pleaded guilty and was also fined £200 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £34 victim surcharge, making £319 in all.
Ana Heyatawin, 58, of Dalleston, Binegar, Wells, Somerset, also pleaded guilty to obstructing the highway but was not fined after the court was told that she had already served a three-month sentence and had other fines to pay.
