HS2 welcomes High Court judgement on tunnelling protestors
HS2 has welcomed the jailing of tunnellers and protestors who held up construction work in Swynnerton, Staffordshire.
The High Court fined and sentenced four individuals to custody who spent 46 days in dangerous, makeshift tunnels under the land. Two other protestors promised not to trespass on HS2 land.
Two of the defendants were given an immediate and significant custodial sentence, and two were given significant custodial sentences suspended for two years on condition that they do not enter HS2 land or interfere with the project.
A HS2 spokesman said: "The unlawful actions of these activists put themselves, the public and our staff at risk, and diverted the emergency services from other important work, as well as incurring significant and unnecessary cost to the taxpayer.
"The sanctions imposed by the court this week reflect the seriousness of the breaches committed, and demonstrate the consequences of engaging in such unlawful and dangerous activity."
The spokesman added: “HS2 Ltd would urge everyone who cares about our natural environment to support a project that is providing work for tens of thousands of people across the UK today, and in the future will get people out of cars, off planes and onto zero carbon rail travel.”
