Extinction Rebellion founder avoids jail for airport drone plot

THE co-founder of Extinction Rebellion has been spared jail after plotting to shut down Heathrow for up to two weeks using drones.

Roger Hallam and other eco-activists, planned to close the airport to force the Government to reverse plans for a third runway, Isleworth Crown Court heard.

Hallam and co-defendant Larch Maxey denied they wanted to shut down the airport, saying it was “merely a publicity exercise”. However, this claim was rejected by the jury.

Hallam, 57, of Wandsworth, south London, and Maxey, 51, of no fixed abode, were found guilty of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance on December 15 last year after a four-week trial. Co defendants Michael Lynch-White, 33, of Lewes, Sussex, previously pleaded guilty to the same charge and Valerie Milner-Brown, 71, of Islington, north London, was found not guilty of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance.

Hallam, Maxey and Lynch-White conspired with others on or before Sept 14 2019 to close the transport hub to air traffic by the “unlawful flying” of drones within Heathrow’s flight restriction zone, the court heard.

Mr Curtis said the intention was “not to close it for a day, but some documents say a week, two weeks” and he said there are documents which show the intention was to close Heathrow “indefinitely until the Government would agree publicly to reverse a national policy permitting the third runway extension at Heathrow”. There was no intention to cause any harm but the “intention of causing inevitable chaos to the public”, Mr Curtis said.

Heathrow Airport and the police had to go to “inordinate lengths to prepare for the worst”. The policing cost to the public was in excess of £1 million, and 1,600 officer shifts had to be moved, the court was told.

Hallam and Maxey were each sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for 18 months. Lynch-White was handed 17 months, suspended for 18 months. Hallam was told to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, Maxey has to complete 300 hours and Lynch-White will have to complete 262 hours.