Three jailed over Cuadrilla fracking protest 

A reminder that exceeding the permitted limits of protesting can have negative consequences for the protesters themselves as well.

Three protesters have been jailed for a causing a public nuisance after they climbed on to lorries outside a fracking site, reports Energy Voice.

The disruption at energy firm Cuadrilla’s base in Preston New Road in Little Plumpton, Lancashire, in July 2017 lasted just short of 100 hours as the campaigners refused to come down.

On Wednesday, Simon Blevins, 26, from Sheffield, and Richard Roberts, 36, of London, were both jailed for 16 months, while Rich Loizou, 31, from Devon, was jailed for 15 months.

A fourth defendant, Julian Brock, 47, from Torquay was sentenced to 12 months in custody, suspended for 18 months.

Sentencing at Preston Crown Court, Judge Robert Latham said that local residents and businesses had also suffered because of the disruption to the busy main road.

He said: “In this case the defendants caused costs and disruption to Cuadrilla but their other victims were the many members of public who were nothing to do with Cuadrilla… and were
viewed by these defendants as necessary and justified collateral damage.”

He said he expressed no view on fracking which was “not the business of the court”.

He also pointed out though it was “not a frivolous topic” and that environmental matters are to be taken seriously.

The sentences would have been “considerably longer” if they have not been committed against a background of protest, he continued.

However he felt he could not suspend the jail terms despite accepting the impact of incarceration and the good they did in the community.

Continued here.