Judge slams Just Stop Oil protester after she asks for her trial to be delayed so she could FLY to India
A JUDGE has slammed a Just Stop Oil protester — after she asked for her trial to be delayed so she could fly to India.
Lydia Gribbin, 28, appeared in court yesterday charged with storming a West End performance of Les Miserables.
But she asked for proceedings to be postponed so that she could make the mammoth 9,000-mile round trip.
But District Judge Michael Snow told her: “I am afraid I am not going to wait for you to get back from India.
“If you have to miss out on things, you have to miss out on things.”
Gribbin, of Bristol, appeared with Hannah Taylor, 23, Hanan Ameur, 22, Noah Crane, 18, and Poppy Bliss, 19, before Westminster JPs after they ran on to the stage at the Sondheim Theatre in October to halt the musical.
They unfurled an orange banner to boos from the audience.
They then locked themselves to the stage and the safety curtain was brought down.
The stunt cost the theatre £80,000 — largely through ticket refunds, the court heard.
Judge Snow believed the sum would actually be much higher because of travel and accommodation costs for attendees.
The five have each accepted that they are protesters and that they were at the musical.
But the group, who did not take any legal advice before the hearing, said they would argue the theatre “reasonably consented” to having them protest.
Judge Snow warned against using that defence because there was direct evidence to the contrary.
Their trial will take place at the City of London magistrates’ court in February.