Nine Just Stop Oil (JSO) activists who were found guilty of conspiring to cause a major disruption at Heathrow Airport have now been sentenced, with none facing further time behind bars. The defendants, arrested in July last year, were alleged to have planned a dramatic action intended to grind operations at one of the world’s busiest airports to a halt.
The group, part of an international campaign titled Roads to Runways, was stopped before they could execute the plan, which prosecutors claimed would have caused Heathrow to “come to a standstill”. Police apprehended the group near the perimeter fence of the airport on the morning of 24 July 2023. Upon searching the individuals, officers found a variety of tools and equipment including angle grinders, glue, high-vis jackets, cable ties, and ear defenders — all items that pointed to a co-ordinated and potentially dangerous operation.
At Isleworth Crown Court on Friday, Judge Hannah Duncan sentenced the nine for conspiracy to cause a public nuisance. Most were deemed to have served sufficient time in custody already, or were handed suspended sentences, while some were also ordered to carry out unpaid work and pay court costs.
The court heard from Prosecutor Emma Fielding that the group had arrived in two separate teams with the intention of breaching the airport’s perimeter fence and gluing or fastening themselves to the taxiway to cause maximum disruption. Fielding said their actions were “intended to cause unprecedented disruption to Heathrow Airport” as part of a well-publicised international effort.
Despite the elaborate planning and the apparent seriousness of the intent, Judge Duncan made clear that no actual disruption took place. “No breach of the perimeter fence occurred. No disruption at all occurred. No actual harm was caused,” she stated. However, she also criticised the defendants for treating the trial as an “extension of the protest,” and described some of their courtroom behaviour as dishonest and self-serving.
“The phrase ‘unprecedented disruption’ featured in the promotion and explanation for this campaign,” Judge Duncan noted. “The assertion by some of you during the trial that this is nothing but hyperbole and only minor disruption was the aim is dishonest and disingenuous.”
The sentencing saw a range of outcomes. Rory Wilson, 26, who pleaded guilty earlier, was sentenced to 10 months, which he has already served. Others, including Adam Beard, Sally Davidson, and Rosa Hicks, received similar terms and have likewise already served their time. Several, including Davidson and Schafer, were given suspended sentences and ordered to complete community service. All except two were directed to pay £2,000 each towards trial costs.
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Raj Chada, head of criminal defence at Hodge Jones & Allen and representing the activists, said, “It is only right that none of these defendants will face any further time in prison. The defendants acted to highlight the real threat to our humanity, and our clients seek action to prevent that catastrophe.”
Meanwhile, Chief Superintendent Ian Howells from the Metropolitan Police’s Aviation Policing Command condemned the group’s actions, stating, “The reckless actions of this particular group would have not only put their own lives and the lives of others in danger, but caused havoc at Heathrow Airport.”
He added, “There is a clear distinction between peaceful protest and the criminal activity that this group sought to carry out. This kind of action will not be tolerated… Today’s result is a clear example of this.”
While the defendants walk free, the verdict sends a strong message: although the UK justice system supports the right to protest, it draws a firm line when such actions cross into criminal disruption — especially where public safety and national infrastructure are concerned.
