Nine Just Stop Oil (JSO) protesters have been convicted after Met officers proactively intervened to prevent their plan to glue themselves onto Heathrow’s runways.
Following a trial at Isleworth Crown Court on Monday, 27 January, eight JSO members were found guilty of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance at Heathrow Airport. A ninth member had previously pleaded guilty to the same offence.
On Wednesday, 24 July 2024, Met officers intercepted two JSO groups close to the perimeter fence of the airport.
The groups made up of seven JSO members, were immediately arrested and found in possession of angle grinders and glue, indicating their intention to cut through the perimeter fence and attach themselves to the airfield’s surface.
Those arrested also had JSO-branded high-visibility vests and a prepared statement confirming their intention to go onto the taxiway, a part of the airfield where planes are moved from the hangar to the runway.
If they had been successful, the group would have had to cross one of the airport’s runways, endangering the lives of themselves, airport staff and those on flights taking off and landing.
Two key organisers were also arrested on the same day.
During the seven-week trial, the court heard that if the group had broken through the security fence and gained access to the airfield, there would have been significant safety and operational consequences, including stopping all departures and affecting nearly 260,000 passengers that day.
The court heard that in some instances, passengers would need to be diverted to other airports nationally and internationally, leaving them potentially stranded for days.
The seven JSO members arrested at the scene were Sally Davidson, 37, of Easton Street, Portland; Adam Beard, 55, of Stanton Road, Stroud; Luke Elson, 32, of Buxton Road, Stratford; Luke Watson, 35, of Tottenham Marshes; Sean O’Callaghan, 30, of Old London Road, Dorking; Hannah Schafer, 61, of Tanygroes, Ceredigion; and Rory Wilson, 26, of Lipton Road, Tower Hamlets (pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing)
The organisers arrested on the same day were Rosa Hicks, 29, of Wharf Hill, Winchester, William Goldring, 27, of Rye Lane, Southwark and Julia Mercer, 74 (18.06.1950) of Beaumont Street, Calderdale, who was acquitted.
The group will all be sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on Friday, 16 May.
