Four Greenpeace activists charged with causing criminal damage at the home of former UK prime minister Rishi Sunak have had their case thrown out by a judge. Michael Grant, Mathieu Soete, Amy Rugg-Easey, and Alexandra Wilson were acquitted at York Magistrates’ Court following a trial in July. The group had climbed on the roof of Sunak’s North Yorkshire home last August, causing damage to 15 of the tiles.
However, District Judge Adrian Lower said that the evidence was too “tenuous” and that the activists should not be convicted. He confirmed he would deliver a full ruling on November 11 but wanted to tell the defendants on Friday to prevent his verdict from “hanging over them any longer”. After the acquittal, Michael Grant said, “This has to stop” referring to the regular sentencing of peaceful protesters in the UK.
The trial, held after all four activists pleaded not guilty, also heard from Malcolm Richardson, a foreman and roofer who had a contract to carry out work at the house. Richardson said he was asked to inspect the area where the protesters had been, and that he saw 15 tiles that needed repair. However, three of the 15 pictures presented by the prosecution were of the same tile taken from different angles, and it was found that some had been taken after Mr Richardson had moved the tiles to carry out repairs in November. Defence lawyer Owen Greenhall argued there was no case to answer because the prosecution could not prove the roof damage occurred during the protest.
Sunak was on holiday with his family in California at the time of the protest, and the activists draped one side of his home in black fabric, with a sign displaying the message “No new oil”. Speaking to the press after the hearing, Michael Grant said he believed that “justice and common sense prevailed in court today” in a rare victory for protesters
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