Protestors who spent 47 days down tunnels in Staffordshire and disrupted HS2 works have been handed custodial sentences by a judge.
Of the seven original trespassers two were banned from trespassing on any HS2 land and interfering with the project, with the remaining five being handed down custodial sentences, the longest being 300 days, with two other defendants receiving 184 and 156 days, suspended for two years on condition that they do not enter HS2 land or interfere with the project.
In ruling the judge severely condemned the actions of the activists for “breaches that were serious, life-threatening, dangerous and deliberate, and designed to cause real harm to HS2 and the taxpayer.”
The sentencing is the first time that tunnelling protesters have been sentenced, after the Home Office last month announced a change in laws to stop the “dangerous” practice that causes “serious disruption and risk to life”.
An HS2 spokesperson said: “The unlawful actions of these activists put themselves, the public and our staff at risk, and diverted the emergency services from other important work, as well as incurring significant and unnecessary cost to the taxpayer. The sanctions imposed by the Court this week reflect the seriousness of the breaches committed, and demonstrate the consequences of engaging in such unlawful and dangerous activity.
“HS2 Ltd would urge everyone who cares about our natural environment to support a project that is providing work for tens of thousands of people across the UK today, and in the future will get people out of cars, off planes and onto zero carbon rail travel.”
Previously protestors have occupied sites at Euston station and in Buckinghamshire and walked away without charge despite causing millions of pounds of disruption.
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