A “naive” teenager who took part in the controversial Love Activist bank occupation walked free from court today after appealing her prison sentence.
Chelsea Stafford, 19, hugged her solicitor Adam Bonney after he successfully persuaded a judge at Liverpool Crown Court to suspend her jail term for 12 months, and reduce it from ten weeks to eight.
Stafford, of no fixed address, was one of five ‘Love Activists’ arrested at the former Bank of England in Castle Street, as part of an anti-austerity protest over lack of support for the homeless.
The court heard that Stafford was “not as culpable” as the other four defendants, and had been a “follower not a leader.”
After retiring to consider the appeal, Judge Steven Everett said: “I am not going to keep you in suspense, I am going to release you.
“I want you to remember this moment though, I want you to remember how unpleasant those seven days in custody were.
“I have visited HMP Styal, I know what a horrible place it is and I suspect you never want to go back. At least I hope you don’t.”
Co-defendants John Hall, 50; John Rice, 23; James Jones, 20; all of no fixed address and James Allanson, 20, of Whetstone Lane in Birkenhead, were also due to appeal.
However Judge Everett told the four men their sentences could actually be increased, and after consulting with counsels Richard Brigden and Mr Bonney they withdrew their appeals. The activists were originally jailed at Passing sentence at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court last week, District Judge Andrew Shaw described their protests as a “self indulgent vanity project” that in no way helped the homeless.
They first entered the building on April 18, claiming squatter’s rights.
Solicitors for the building’s owners obtained an interim possession order, which prompted several of the occupants to leave.
Simon Duncan, prosecuting today, said: “The police had to bring in specially trained negotiators on May 8 and May 10 to try and reason with those that remained.
“By May 11 we were told that the police operation had cost in excess of £91,000.
“On May 12 the police swung into action full scale, using 130 officers in all to deal with the occupation at a cost of £27,000.”
The court heard there was damage to the drainage system and to walls and doors in the building, with costs running into the tens of thousands.
Judge Everett said: “One can well understand the nature and indeed the merits of their particular cause. However with the right to protest about such matters there comes certain duties, to protest in a lawful and reasonable manner to protest with common decency in the public domain.”
He described reports that activists had urinated from the balcony of the building onto Castle Street below as “disgusting” and claimed this behaviour had “lost them the sympathy of the public.”
Mr Bonney said Stafford was homeless herself when she entered the building and was “pressured” by her fellow protesters.
He said: “She was just naive, she was not a Love Activist.”
Judge Everett referred to character references handed to the court by a former teacher, a former employer and Stafford’s mum.
She was described as “intelligent” and “passionate about her cause”, but also had “problems” with alcohol and drugs.
The court heard she had 11 GCSEs and dreamed of being a veterinary nurse.
Stafford declined to comment when approached by the Echo after her release.
Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/