Extinction Rebellion co-founder spared jail over plot to close Heathrow by flying drones nearby

Extinction Rebellion’s co-founder has been given a suspended sentence after plotting with others to fly drones near Heathrow.

Roger Hallam and other eco-activists, wanted to close the airport until the Government reversed plans for a third runway.

They wanted backing for the protest, launched under the name Heathrow Pause, to go viral and shut down the airport while also triggering arrests and lots of publicity, London’s Isleworth Crown Court was told during the trial.

Hallam and co-defendant Larch Maxey said in their defence they had no intent to cause a public nuisance or to close Heathrow, it was "merely a publicity exercise," which was rejected by the jury, James Curtis KC, prosecuting, said.

A number of arrests were made during the protest in September 2019, but instead of hundreds of people attending to fly drones, the "movement died where it was," Mr Curtis said.

Hallam, 57, of Wandsworth, south London, and Maxey, 51, of no fixed abode, were found guilty of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance on 15 December 2023 after a four-week trial.

Michael Lynch-White, 33, of Lewes, Sussex, previously pleaded guilty to the same charge.

Valerie Milner-Brown, 71, of Islington, north London, was found not guilty of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance.

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

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 crash or to harm or endanger lives of individuals, but with the “intention of causing inevitable chaos to the public," Mr Curtis said.

Mr Curtis said documents show the intention was to cause “massive disruption to the public, to flights in and out of this country."

Heathrow Airport and the police had to go to "inordinate lengths to prepare for the worst," Mr Curtis said.

Court documents showed how policing cost to the public was in excess of £1 million, and 1,600 officer shifts had to be moved.

Hallam said the "public nuisance was insignificant to non-existent in my case" and there was "no evidence" he played a leadership role in this offence.

He added: "The public nuisance was simply to create publicity for the criminality of creating a third runway."

Michael Goold, defending Maxey, said the defendant was "motivated by the sincere heartfelt concern, and justified concern, about the climate emergency."

Judge Martin Edmunds KC said the plan was developed under the banner of Heathrow Pause and there was evidence Extinction Rebellion members chose not to become involved as they "valued plans to be too extreme."

He added that the small number of drones flown "did not cause any disruption to flights."

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. All three defendants will have to complete 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Lynch-White said after the sentencing: “That was very close to an immediate custodial sentence for a protest that caused no disruption whatsoever and at a time where anyone in the UK right now will know it’s not stopped raining and it is awful."

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