AN Insulate Britain supporter from Kendal was given a suspended jail sentence after stopping traffic at Bishopsgate in London. 

George Bryan Burrow, 68, was convicted at Inner London Crown Court of causing a public nuisance.

He was given a three-week prison sentence suspended for 18 months and was ordered to pay £500 in prosecution costs and do 60 hours of community service. 

His co-defendant Tony Hill, 72, a former police officer and paratrooper from Burneside, was given a conditional discharge and ordered to pay £3,500 in costs. 

The Mail: Bryan Burrows (left), Matthew Tulley, Ben Taylor, Tony Hall (right) outside court after trial Bryan Burrows (left), Matthew Tulley, Ben Taylor, Tony Hall (right) outside court after trial (Image: Insulate Britain)

The defendants stopped vehicles by sitting on a road in the City of London on October 25 2021 as part of Insulate Britain's campaign of nonviolent civil resistance that year.  

Also in the dock was Ben Taylor from Manchester who was given a 6-week suspended jail sentence, and 100 hours of community service. The fourth co-defendant, Matthew Tulley from Holmfirth, was given the same sentence as Taylor but was also ordered to pay £3,500 in costs. 

Another trial relating to the same roadblock resulted in all three defendants being acquitted and another resulted in a hung jury. 

Three others from the same road block resulted in guilty verdicts.

Insulate Britain has criticised Judge Silas Reid for imposing a gagging order which prevented defendants from mentioning issues which led to the 2021 campaign such as fuel poverty and climate change.

READ MORE: Cumbria protesters from Insulate Britain guilty of public nuisance

Addressing the judge, Burrow said: "I have no plans to be
involved in any further actions. I realise hundreds of people involved
in climate activism would express support to me and feel outraged that
we are unable to speak about our motivations in our defence."

Hill said: “This was my first and only court case in my life. What
did I do? I sat on a road in London in peaceful, silent protest. Why did
I do it? A simple plea: insulate the appalling housing stock, indeed all
buildings in Britain. How prescient was that, given the energy crisis we
now face. As a former police officer and parish councillor, I have
utterly lost faith, respect and trust in the government."

At sentencing, he said: “I am partly ashamed of myself for not having
more courage. I don’t have the courage to go to prison. I haven’t got
the courage to commit a contempt of court.”