Climate activists fined for Grangemouth protest

Climate activists who broke into an oil depot spent hours glued to two tanker lorries, not realising the trucks were decommissioned, a court heard.

Hannah Taylor, Alexander Cowtan, Gavin Cheyne, Kate Prasher, and Julia Redman entered the Grangemouth depot of Certas Energy last July.

Falkirk Sheriff Court heard they gained entry by using bolt cutters to make a hole in the fence.

They were found guilty of vandalism and criminal damage and fined £840 each.

The group all denied the offences, but told the court they did not dispute the facts.

Members of the group spray painted the windows and tanks of fuel delivery tankers and glued their locks.

They also climbed onto oil tankers and glued themselves, or pretended to glue themselves to them, and lay down on the ground, causing Certas to shut down their operations.

Cowtan, a PhD physics student, told the court: "Over the course of the day it became clear that the tanker I had glued myself to was ironically defunct, and had been for two years."

IT professional Cheyne added: "The two tankers that we were next to had been out of commission for a long time - as we were told by employees who were trying to point out to us that our actions were ineffective.

"The action we took was peaceful and we were successful in shutting the plant down for a day."

The five accused, part of climate change protest group This Is Rigged, said their plan was to "cause disruption to the fossil fuel industry, and signal that time has run out".

Sheriff Mark O'Hanlon said: "I appreciate you were protesting about climate change, but you committed criminal offences which the court will not tolerate."