Horse Hill oil rig: Climate activist cleared after protest

Protesters scaled an oil rig at the Horse Hill site last October

An Extinction Rebellion activist charged over a protest at a Surrey oil drilling site has been cleared.

Lindsay Parkin, 56, a management consultant from North Road, Brighton, has been cleared of obstructing a person engaged in lawful activity.

He was one of two men charged after demonstrators scaled an oil rig at Horse Hill, near Horley, last October.

At an earlier hearing, horticulturist Alistair Sandell, 53, of North Row, Uckfield, admitted aggravated trespass.

Sandell was fined £268 and ordered to pay £84 costs plus a £34 victim surcharge.

Mr Parkin, after his trial at Staines Magistrates' Court on Thursday, said: "We occupied the rig to highlight its presence in that beautiful place and the harm it is doing.

"This message was widely spread and created the interest that it should, which was our sole purpose in this action."

Last year, following the protest, the climate change group released pictures of the demonstration.

An Extinction Rebellion spokeswoman said protesters had entered the site and then used an access ladder to climb a rig about 32m high, to reach a platform about 15m above ground.

She said activists then hung a banner from the rig saying "No More Oil" and stayed on the platform for 12 hours.

The group hung a banner from the rig that read "No More Oil"

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