Obstruction of the Highway - Guilty: 06/05/21

Outcome
Court date

Court:

CoL court 3

Hearing date:

6th May 2021

Bench (DJ or JPs)

DJ Woodcock

Charged with:

Obstructing the Highway

Represented by:

Ben Manovitch, Lloyds PR Solicitors

Please outline key points in prosecution and defense cases.

7th October 2019 Millbank. Arrested for Obstructing the Highway. PC Padman, arresting officer in court. BWF from a different officer of the arrest was shown. PC Padman said the road was closed by the police to protect the protesters. Bicycles were allowed through. Pedestrians were seen on BWF walking through. Defendant had been sitting in the road about 4 – 6 minutes when approached by PC Padman. Asked to leave, cautioned. Didn’t leave. Was arrested. Taken to 3 different police stations until being held in Bromley.

Defendant: took direct action to influence the government. WHO 250,000 deaths a year as a result of climate change. Millbank is close to Westminster which is why he went there. Non-violent peaceful protest. Returned to the protest the day after arrest but stayed on the pavement as did not want to be arrested again.

Defence quoted Brian Hall / Hoare (couldn’t hear) – right to free expression. People need to be free to cause a nuisance. Zeigler para 51, 62, 63, 96, 114, and EU para 10 and 11.

Was defense evidence submitted in writing?

Yes, skeleton arguments

Did defense witness(es) give evidence in person? Were they cross-examined?

Yes in person.

 

Yes cross-examined

What was the verdict?

Guilty

What was the sentence?

9m conditional discharge

What costs were awarded?

£775 plus £21 victim surcharge

Please add anything else relevant.

The defence opened the court by asking for the custody report to be allowed as relevant evidence. Defendant had been taken to 3 police stations after arrest ending in Bromley. His release was authorized at 5.19am but this was not actioned until 08:18. His defence argued that he was