A CLIMATE change activist from Whiteparish has spoken out about his determination to continue protesting despite having been in court for planning to shut down one of Britain’s largest power stations.

Adam Weymouth, 26, of Meadow Court in Whiteparish, was given a conditional discharge for 18 months after he and 19 other activists were found guilty of conspiracy to commit aggravated trespass at Nottingham Crown Court in December.

They were among more than 100 people arrested on April 13, 2009 when police raided the Iona School in Sneinton, Nottingham.

They had planned to trespass at the Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station in Nottinghamshire, the UK’s third largest coal-fired power station, and shut it down for a week to stop 150,000 tonnes of CO2 entering the atmosphere.

After sentencing he said: “This verdict does not change our view that our actions were reasonable and necessary, and we believe we were justified in taking direct action even if the courts don’t. It’s obvious that the legal system, even our democratic system, is protecting big business and their profits, but failing to protect the climate and our collective future.”

Mr Weymouth, who is a writer with a masters in human ecology, became involved in environmental campaigning about ten years ago. While studying at Strathclyde University in Glasgow, he started taking part in protest marches and after finishing his masters he worked at a UN conference on climate change in Poland.

He also worked on the 2009 climate change documentary The Age of Stupid, which starred the late Pete Postlethwaite.

Mr Weymouth believes the court case has helped make people more aware of climate change.

Nasa’s leading climate scientist James Hansen testified on behalf of the defendants during the trial, as did Dr Ian Roberts, professor of epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Medicine, who told the court of the real and imminent threat to health posed by climate change, saying we risk a “generational genocide” as at least 150,000 people a year are dying as a result of man-made climate change.

Mr Weymouth said: “It’s incredibly flattering to have these sorts of people come and speak for us, politicians and scientists. We’ve had amazing support.

“The result is disappointing but one decision by a court is never going to change what’s happening and things are not going to get any better until we stop carbon emissions.”

On sentencing, Judge Jonathan Teare said: “I have absolutely no doubt that each of you acted with the highest possible motives. It is certainly unique when neither judge nor jury need question the veracity and the motivation of any defendant.”

Most of the activists were given conditional discharges and five got low-level community orders.