A GROUP of climate protesters have admitted staging a three-day protest at Didcot Power Station.

A total of 19 men and women pleaded guilty at Oxford Magistrates’ Court today to obstructing a person engaged in a lawful activity.

Brian Payne, prosecuting, said the demonstrators cycled into the site at about 4.30am on Monday, October 26, before splitting into two groups.

One group of 11 people occupied a conveyor belt while the others scaled the power station’s main chimney and set up camp.

Mr Payne said both groups were arrested “without struggling” on Wednesday, October 28.

He added: “The Crown’s view is that it should be regarded as a peaceful, albeit misguided, protest.”

David Rhodes, defending, said: “Whatever the court’s view and whatever my view, you have to treat the defendants differently to those who normally come before these courts.

“It may be their actions may be vindicated by history.”

A joint statement from the defendants said: “It’s necessary for ordinary people to take extraordinary actions to address this. We stand by what we did.”

Toby Hill, 23, of Cowley Road, East Oxford, was one of 13 protesters without previous convictions who were given 12-month conditional discharges and told to pay £70 costs.

Lucie Kinchin, 20, also of Cowley Road, was given 50 hours’ unpaid work and told to pay £70 costs due to a previous protest-related conviction for aggravated trespass.

Outside court, Hill said: “I definitely stand by what I did. I’m guilty of what’s regarded as a crime but I do not believe it was wrong.

“Peaceful direct action really is a fantastic way of making your voice heard.”

District Judge Tim Pattinson told the group: “The nature of living in a democracy means that we are all subject to the criminal law of this country, whether we like individual laws or not.”

John Rainford, the power station’s manager, said in a statement: “This break in to Didcot Power Station was a dangerous, illegal stunt that put people’s safety at risk and tied up over 50 police officers’ time over several days.”

The other 12 protesters given conditional discharges and told to pay £70 costs were: Alistair Alexander, 38, of Barry Road, London; Aimee Georgiou-Lormand, 18, of Hudson Road, Harlington; Steven Gibson, 52, of Nutclough, Hebden Bridge; Nicholas Kassam, 21, of Third Avenue, Bath; Stephen Kay, 23, of Rhondda Street, Swansea; Michele Kirchstein, 26, of Alfearn Road, London; Hannah Lewis, 26, of Montrell Road, London; Hannah McClure, 22, of Sholebroke Avenue, Leeds; Danielle Paffard, 22, of Sheen Lane, London; Hannah Schling, 24, of Albert Road, London; Kerry Simmons, 37, of Mildmay Road, London, and Bryony Tayler, 20, of South Street, West Rainton.

Thomas Spencer, 24, of Hamilton Road, Manchester, was fined £140 and told to pay a £15 victims’ surcharge and £70 costs due a previous conviction for obstructing a railway.

Neil Page, 31, of Montrell Road, London, was fined £140 and told to pay a £15 victims’ surcharge due to two protest-related convictions.

The following three, who all had similar previous convictions, were told to pay £70 costs and given unpaid work: Oscar Cooper, 19, of Hudson Road, Harlington, got 60 hours’ unpaid work; Andrew McParland, 43, of The Greenway, Epsom, got 40 hours’ unpaid work, and Paul Morozzo, 42, of Chiserley Gardens, Wadsworth, got 80 hours’ unpaid work.

* arl Van Tonder, 20, of Wellington Street, North Oxford, denied obstructing a person engaged in a lawful activity and was bailed to stand trial at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Monday, February 22.