Just Stop Oil protester says the M25 gantry stunt ruined his life

A Just Stop Oil protester has admitted that his M25 gantry stunt has 'ruined his life'.

Alfred Beswick had been taking part in one of many of the environmental activist group's protests in recent months.

The aim of the group is to call upon the government to tackle fossil fuel usage in the UK, but unfortunately their demonstrations have been causing disruptions across the country.

From stopping traffic to throwing soup over Van Gogh’s 'Sunflowers' painting, Just Stop Oil has earned itself a fair few enemies along the way.

This is especially true for the people who've missed important events such as family funerals due to the disruption caused by its members.

As for Alfred, he took part in a protest on 8 November which aimed to close the M25 and demand to end new gas and oil projects and start working towards renewable energy.

But the 26-year-old climbed onto a gantry above Junction 22 and was swiftly arrested for causing a 'public nuisance'.

In an update shared on Wednesday (7 December), Just Stop Oil wrote: "Alfred Beswick, 26, pleaded guilty and was granted bail.

"He is due to be released from custody later today after a stay of 30 days; he will return to court for sentencing on January 18th.

"This brings to 24 the number of Just Stop Oil supporters in prison on remand or serving sentences for taking action to demand that the government halts new oil and gas licences."

Just Stop Oil

According to The Times, the activist appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday (8 December) where he admitted to the offence and described how the incident had 'ruined his life'.

Referring to a letter he had written, Judge Tony Baumgartner said: "He’s accepted that this has completely ruined his life. It’s really disrupted his relationship... his partner is at risk of losing rented premises."

The judge said Alfred had demonstrated 'genuine remorse' for what he had done, and granted him bail until his sentencing next year so long as he stays within his area and sleeps at his house in Hackney.

Back in October, Just Stop Oil protestors were accused of having 'blood on their hands' after their Dartford Crossing demonstration.

A stranded motorist and a woman who stopped to help them were killed on the hard shoulder of the M20 near Swanley when a car drove into them.

The ambulance team took 40 minutes to reach the scene due to tailbacks on the motorway that many were using to avoid the commotion caused by the Dartford Crossing protest.

The incident happened at 8:20 am on Monday, 17 October, when a BMW went across three lanes and hit the women on the hard shoulder; one of whom was a GP and was not named.

Gerard Ferry/Alamy Stock Photo

The other woman was a mum-of-three called Lisa Webster.

Mark Heap, 54, who pulled over to help the women and was also injured, spoke from his hospital bed to The Sun.

"They may not have intended to hurt anyone, but they’ve got blood on their hands now," he said.

“Without the protest the emergency services might have been able to get there in time to save the women."

Mick Neville, who used to work for the Met, also echoed these sentiments and said of the incident: "They may not have directly caused the M20 accident but had their irresponsible demo not taken place, the women and van driver would probably not have been there."