Russel Norman to plead guilty
Greenpeace executive director Russel Norman and a fellow activist have changed their minds and will plead guilty to interfering in the operations of a oil industry survey ship.
Norman and two others intercepted oil industry survey ship Amazon Warrior as it carried out work off the Wairarapa coast in April 2017. They also swam in an exclusion zone near the ship.
The organisation issued a press release yesterday to say that Norman and Sara Howell ‘‘will plead guilty and seek a discharge without conviction on the basis that their conduct was justified and necessary to bring about required change to government policy’’.
When Norman and Howell plead guilty next week, it is understood that the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (Mbie) will withdraw its charges against Greenpeace.
The third man, Gavin Mulvay, accepted the offer of diversion in Napier District Court in October.
Norman and Howell did not accept the offer of diversion. They pleaded not guilty to the charges and Norman said he would be using a greater good defence, bringing in climate change experts, and would argue it was critical people stand up to prevent climate change.
Greenpeace’s press release stated that Norman and Howell ‘‘have always admitted their conduct but say they should not face conviction’’. On Monday, the pair will plead guilty and seek a discharge without conviction.