Drax coal train hijackers sentenced

Environmental protesters who hijacked a freight train carrying coal to one of Europe's largest power stations were today sentenced to community service and ordered to pay costs and compensation to Network Rail. The group had taken part in a non-violent protest against climate change at the giant Drax power station near Selby, north Yorkshire, in June last year when they halted a train carrying 1,000 tonnes of coal. Twenty nine people were convicted in July following a four-day jury trial at Leeds crown court. Today, at the same court, Judge James Spencer QC, ordered five, who had previous convictions, to do 60 hours unpaid work and three were ordered to pay £1,000 in costs and £500 compensation to Network Rail. The judge said the loss to the company had been almost £37,000. Twenty one members of the group were given conditional discharges for 12 months. Judge Spencer told them: "You were involved in an elaborate plan to interfere with other people going about their lawful business. Each one of you were involved in this scheme to disrupt the influx of coal to Drax power station." He said they did it by criminal means.