Warner blocking a train in North Yorkshire yesterday. Image: Insulate Britain
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An Insulate Britain activist who missed a day of her court hearing because she was blocking a train has now been jailed.
Dr Diana Warner, 62, decided not to attend the High Court on Tuesday, instead opting to block a shipment train heading for the Drax power station in North Yorkshire.
Back in court on Wednesday, the former GP admitted her guilt and was sentenced to two months in prison.
Warner was one of a group of nine Insulate Britain activists in court for breaking an injunction by blocking the M25.
Despite a previous group of nine Insulate Britain activists all being jailed last month, just two of this group were given prison terms.
Along with Warner, Dr Ben Buse – already serving time after last month’s hearing – was given an extra 30 days on top of his existing four month sentence.
Ahead of his hearing last month, Buse told The Big Issue: “Yes I am nervous, anxious, terrified, excited. But it’s good to be able to explain why we’re doing this.”
The rest of the group were given suspended sentences, and the group were ordered to pay a total of £39,000 in costs.
Blocking the train yesterday, Warner, clad in hi-vis clothing and waving an orange flag, said: “This is the most ridiculous power station on Earth, chomping through so many trees every day.”
1/2 🦺 Today Diana Warner, retired GP, from Bristol, chose to defy the court summons by not appearing at the High Court.
☠️ Instead she halted the delivery of destroyed forests to #Drax power station.
As the train started to move, Warner added: “This is so scary.” She decided not to block another train as it was becoming misty.
One of the group in court, Ruth Jarman, said: “I admit that I broke the injunction – it was a choice I made because I answer to a higher authority, that of love and life. I felt that not joining the Insulate Britain protests would make me a bystander to violence and complicit in the breakdown of abundant and civilised life.
“I am sorry for the impact of our protests on the people who were affected. I hate disrupting people and my actions were aiming to prevent the greater disruption of climate breakdown. So I do not regret breaking the injunction and I cannot promise not to do it again.”
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