TWO members of the Just Stop Oil campaign group who scaled the cables of the QEII bridge at Dartford last year, causing significant disruption to traffic, have been given jail sentences of three years and two years and seven moths respectively.

The pair appeared before Judge Shane Collery at Southend Crown Court today (Friday, 21 April) - having spent the interim since being arrested behind bars.

They will now remain there for some time after the judge passed sentence on Morgan Trowland and Marcus Decker.

Trowland got the longer sentence but the two periods of jail time set new records as the longest sentences for climate protest action in the UK.

The pair scaled the bridge on 17 October 2022 and remained at height for 37 hours.

Two men have been sentenced after causing widespread disruption across the South-East when they dangerously climbed the QEII Bridge at the Dartford Crossing.

The two men stayed on the bridge for almost 40 hours.

Morgan Trowland, 40, of Drummond Way, Islington, and Marcus Decker, 34, eventually climbed to about 200ft above the water and remained suspended over the carriageways. Their actions led to the bridge being closed for 41 hours.

Both men were removed from the bridge by specially trained officers on on a specialist raised platform on the afternoon of 18 October

Once they were safe, both men were arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance and subsequently charged.

They denied the charges but were found guilty of the offence at Southend Crown Court.

Detective Chief Inspector Louise Metcalfe, who oversaw the Essex Police investigation, said: "Trowland and Decker's actions were completely unacceptable. They were dangerous and they were incredibly disruptive.

"We know they saw their actions as protest – they were not. They caused danger and disruption to many.

"Thankfully, our specially trained officers were able bring the incident to a safe conclusion."

DCI Metcalfe added: "I would also like to thank everyone involved in this investigation – from those officers who worked at a dangerous height to bring both men down, to the dedicated team of investigators who were responsible for building the overwhelmingly strong case against both men.

"I have seen first-hand the tireless work that the team has put in to secure these convictions. Their work to secure justice simply cannot be underestimated." 

Speaking prior to sentencing, Trowland, 40, a bridge design engineer from London, said: "Marcus and I demonstrated what any two ordinary people will do, when the death screams of the world become unbearable.

"I cannot enjoy liberty in a society when our government makes plans to kill people on a massive scale. Drilling new oil and gas wells in 2023 means death for many of the most vulnerable on earth. I will not be complicit in that."

Speaking outside the courtroom today Stephanie Golder, a Just Stop Oil spokesperson, said: "What Morgan and Marcus did was extraordinary, risky and extremely disruptive.

"But what should you do when your government refuses to protect the people? When it ignores the repeated warnings of the world's climate scientists. When you know that new oil and gas extraction will eventually result in the deaths of billions of people?

"Non violent civil resistance is the answer. It's what the Suffragettes did, it's what the Civil Rights movements did. It's our best chance of getting the scale of change we need, in the time we need it.

"Just Stop Oil will not be deterred by these draconian sentences. Where they imprison one of us, ten more will take their place. When they imprison ten of us, one hundred will stand to take their place. We must unite against this genocidal government and be brave."

"For now, that means slowly marching around the streets of London. It is an act of self respect, an act of solidarity, an act of love and necessity.

"We urge you to join us, because together we can stop the harm that is new oil and gas. Our campaign resumes on 24 April. Sign up at juststopoil dot org."