Four Just Stop Oil activists jailed for plotting to disrupt Manchester Airport

The Herald Scotland

27-05-2025

Manchester Minshull Crown Court heard they were all arrested in August last year near to Manchester Airport.
Rumbelow, Knorr, Ward and Reid were all jailed for their roles in the conspiracy (Greater Manchester Police/PA)
They were equipped with heavy duty bolt cutters, angle grinders, glue, sand, Just Stop Oil high visibility vests and a leaflet containing instructions to follow when interacting with police.
Ward was also found in possession of a handwritten note which detailed the motive of the group to enter the airfield and to then contact the police to alert them of their activity.
They were planning to enter the airfield and stick themselves to the taxiway using the glue and sand.
Following a trial the four defendants were found guilty in February of conspiracy to intentionally cause a public nuisance. A fifth defendant was acquitted.
Rumbelow, from London, was jailed for 30 months; Knorr, from Birmingham, was jailed for two years; Ward, also from Birmingham, was sentenced to 18 months in custody; and Reid, from Kendal, Cumbria was also locked up for 18 months.
Each was ordered to pay £2,000 in costs.
Passing sentence, Judge Jason MacAdam rejected the defendants' claims that only 'minimal delay, inconvenience, cost would have occurred' had their plan succeeded.
'That claim repeatedly made by you all is plainly dishonest and completely contrary to all of your claims again repeatedly made, that you want to be held accountable,' he said.
'This was a highly organised, planned and determined conspiracy.
'If it had been successfully executed, the evidence which was either unchallenged or tested without success, demonstrated would have for some time resulted in chaos not just at Manchester Airport but to infrastructure around the airport and would have had a consequential effect on other airports.
'Many peoples flights to and from Manchester would have been delayed, rerouted or cancelled.'
Detective Chief Inspector Tony Platten, who led the investigation, said: 'We know this disruption was deliberately planned to coincide with the height of the summer holidays, targeting the public and their families.
'It was vital that we prevented this from happening. People work hard for their time off, and we have a duty to ensure they can enjoy it without fear or disruption.
'The group's actions demonstrated a complete disregard for the impact on the lives of those travelling via Greater Manchester, and I welcome the sentences handed down today.'
Rad Taylor, from Manchester Airport, said: 'The safety and security of our passengers is always our number one concern.
'What these individuals were planning would not only have caused significant disruption for tens of thousands of passengers, but also a significant safety risk.
'The potential consequences of that do not bear thinking about.'
In statements released by Just Stop Oil after the sentencing, the defendants said the action was part of a campaign for a treaty to end the extraction and burning of oil, gas and coal by 2030.
Knorr, who had been remanded in custody prior to sentencing, said: 'Since my imprisonment began, things have continued to get worse. The world still sleepwalks towards hell.
'People are taking action because they are terrified of what rising temperatures and food shortages will mean for them and for their kids.
'So as long as the climate crisis keeps getting worse, people will keep taking action, prison or not.'
Ward said: 'I'm not worried about my sentence, I'm worried about living in a world where crop failure means I can't put food on the table.
'I acted because doing nothing is unthinkable and because the science is clear. We have no other option.'