A Cambridge protestor who was part of a group that blocked a main roundabout near the M25 has been sentenced. Louise Lancaster, 58, was one of 11 people that caused severe disruption to a number of motorists.
The group, known as Insulate Britain, blocked the key junction close to junction 31 of the M25, at the A282, early on September 13, 2021. The disruption on that day had knock-on impacts on the M25, A13, A282 and the A20.
All of the members were arrested and an investigation by Essex Police found a total estimated economic impact of about £118,000 and about 6,500 hours of vehicle delay hours. The group were since charged with causing a public nuisance.
Read more: Tributes pour in for 'fantastic' and 'inspirational' Cambridge teacher
Read more: The Cambridge car park which costs more than a flight to Santorini
Seven of the group, including Lancaster, denied the offence, but were found guilty on March 7 after a three-week trial at Reading Crown Court. They joined four other people who had previously admitted the offence and the entire group was sentenced on Friday, April 19.
Lancaster, of High Street, Barton, was sentenced to 16 weeks imprisonment suspended for 18 months. She was also given 100 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £500 costs.
Detective Sergeant Chris Arnold, who led the investigation, said: "These individuals did not need to get criminal records. Their actions inconvenienced thousands of people and took up valuable police time; time which would have been better spent catching criminals causing harm in our communities.
"The team faced the challenging investigation head-on and without them and their hard work, we would not have had such a positive result.
"We know that the right to protest is enshrined in law, and policing will always seek to facilitate it. But what happened in September 2021 was not legal; it was criminal disruption which severely impacted many people."
Those now convicted after trial are:
- Biff Whipster, 56, of Oakwood Road, Sturry, Canterbury (12 weeks imprisonment suspended for 18 months, with 60 hours unpaid work and £500 in costs).
- Nicholas Till, 68, of Rheidol Terrace, London, N1 (12 weeks imprisonment suspended for 18 months, with 80 hours unpaid work and £1,500 in costs).
- Nicholas Onley, 61, of Richmond Road, London, N15 (12 weeks imprisonment suspended for 18 months, with £250 in costs).
- Rob Stuart, 42, Chingford Road, London, E17 (12 weeks imprisonment suspended for 18 months, with 60 hours unpaid work and £500 in costs).
- Louise Lancaster, 58, of High Street, Barton, Cambridge (16 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, with 100 hours of unpaid work and £500 costs).
- Janine Eagling, 63, of Tower Hamlets Road, London, E17 (12 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, with 60 hours of unpaid work and £1,000 costs).
- David Crawford, 70, of Falkland Road, Dorking (12 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, with 60 hours of unpaid work and £1,000 costs).
Those convicted after earlier admitting the offence:
- Tim Speers, 38, of Princes Avenue, Hull (to be sentenced at a later date).
- Stefania Morosi, 46, of Hessel Road, London, W13 (13 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, with £100 costs).
- Gabriella Ditton, 30, of Silver Road, Norwich (14 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, with 80 hours of unpaid work and £800 costs).
