Kent News - Kingsnorth Six cleared of damaging power station

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Friday, September 3 2010, 6:45

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Kingsnorth Six cleared of damaging power station

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Activist scales Kingsnorth stack

Power giant E.ON fears a court ruling will open the door for illegal and dangerous protests after six eco-activists were cleared of causing criminal damage to Kingsnorth power station.

The Greenpeace campaigners were charged with causing £30,000 of damage to the Hoo peninsula plant during a two-day demonstration last year.

The five men and one woman admitted the damage but argued their actions had stopped the power station from polluting the environment.

The jury at Maidstone Crown Court were sent out to deliberate at 1pm yesterday with Judge David Caddick urging the jurors to examine whether the protestors had a lawful excuse for their actions.

The climate campaigners were cleared by a ten to two majority, after a nine-day trial.

E.ON press officer Jonathan Smith said: “We’re extremely disappointed with the decision. We have always said we respect the campaigners’ right to protest as long as they do so in a way that is safe and sensible.

“By breaking into the power station and climbing the chimney stack we would argue that is not a sensible or safe way to protest.

“Additionally, we’re worried that this ruling will encourage other protestors to engage in similar actions at power plants across the country.

“It is these power stations that help to keep the lights on and bills low for our customers.

“We’re every bit as worried about climate change as the protestors but there are ways and means to protest and we would suggest their demonstration was not the way to do it.”

The court case centred on a Greenpeace protest which took place at the Kingsnorth site in October last year.

Dozens of activists chained themselves to machinery, forcing the plant to shut down.

A team of five protestors scaled the station’s 200m chimney and abseiled down the stack later that day, painting ‘Gordon’ in big white letters as they went.

Ben Stewart, 34, of Lyminge, Kevin Drake, 44, of Wiltshire, Huw Williams, 41, of Nottingham, Will Rose, 29, of London, and Emily Hall, 34, from New Zealand were all charged with causing criminal damage.

Tim Hewke, 48, from Ulcombe was accused of organising the protest from the ground and faced the same charge.

POSTED: 10/09/2008 16:19:19

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