Four Charged After Clacket Lane and Cobham Services Protests

Published on: 30 Apr, 2022
Updated on: 4 May, 2022

The filling station at Cobham Services Google Street View

Four people have been charged following protests at Clacket Lane and Cobham services on Thursday (April 28).

Nathan McGovern, 22, from London and Amber Alexander, 18, Louis Hawkins, 22, and Rosa Sharkey, 22, all from Brighton, have been charged with causing criminal damage of over £5,000.

They appeared at Crawley Magistrates’ Court yesterday (April 29) and were released on police bail with conditions imposed by the court.

Four people remain in custody.

Officers were called to both service stations just after 7am on Thursday, April 28 following reports that a large number of protesters were at the sites and were glueing themselves to the pumps, to forecourt signs and to vehicles. They were also blocking access and stopping motorists from using the pumps.

Significant damage was caused to the pumps on both forecourts, with a total of 35 pumps damaged at Cobham Services, and a further 20 pumps damaged at Clacket Lane. The HGV pumps at both sites were not targeted and remained open.

Superintendent Graham Barnett said: “Around 40 officers were involved following the activity by protest group Just Stop Oil at Cobham and Clacket Lane Services yesterday. Police responded after reports that pumps were being smashed up and that protesters were glueing themselves to pumps, vehicles and forecourt signs.

“We appreciate that this caused considerable disruption to motorists attempting to use the services and to the petrol stations themselves, who will also have suffered a huge financial loss as a result of this activity.

“While we are required to facilitate peaceful protest, we will always take action against those who break the law and significantly impact on the lives and livelihoods of others, and clearly if officers are caught up dealing with protest activity, they aren’t elsewhere preventing crime and responding as quickly to reports from the public.”