Parliament protestors found guilty
Thursday, 13 November 2008 5:27 PM
Five people have been found guilty of trespassing on parliament.
Leo Murray, Alexander Richard George, Graham Thompson, Tamsin Omond and Olivia Chessell were found guilty after a trial at City of Westminster magistrates court.
Omand, 23, of Belsize Square, was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and fined £150.
Murray, 32, of Westcroft Square; George, 28, of Ridgeway, Wimbledon; Thompson, 35, of Northfield Rd; and Chessell, 20, of Emmanuel Rd, Cambridge, were fined £150 each and ordered to pay £200 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
Westminster magistrates' court were told how the members of campaign group Plane Stupid unveiled banners on the roof of parliament to protest against the proposed Heathrow expansion after getting past security in February.
The prosecution alleged the group may have had help during their protest. All five were seen on CCTV cameras but were searched by security who failed to find the banners reading "BAA HQ" and "No Third Runway".
Inspector Timothy Barfoot, who was on duty at the time, said that one of the protestors contacted him after reaching the roof claiming they were from Plane Stupid and that "everyone on the roof had been trained in non-violent protests".
He added that a decision was taken not to forcibly remove the group until they were closer to the edge of the building.
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