GP Imprisoned for Damaging Petrol Pumps in Support of JSO

Dr. Patrick Hart, a 38-year-old GP, has been jailed for 12 months after damaging petrol pumps at an M25 service station in a protest supporting Just Stop Oil. Hart, from Bristol, used a hammer, chisel, and orange spray paint to vandalise 16 fuel pumps at Thurrock Motorway Services in Grays, Essex, on August 24, 2022, causing £9,376 in damages. The closure of the forecourt until the following evening led to an additional loss of £1,146 in profits.

Last week, Chelmsford Crown Court found Hart guilty of criminal damage, noting he had previously faced civil charges and fines for the same incident. The protest breached a High Court injunction, as Hart and four other activists blocked access to the petrol station by sitting on the road.

Dr. Hart has stated that his actions were motivated by his belief in the urgent need to address the climate crisis. Before sentencing, he told the court, "The greatest health threat to all of us is the unfolding climate catastrophe. As healthcare workers, we have a duty to protect the health of our patients. If we fail to confront the fossil fuel industry, we fail as a profession."

Hart's medical career now hangs in the balance. He has been referred to the General Medical Council (GMC) for a disciplinary hearing but has not been suspended at this time. Upon release, he will face a tribunal to determine his professional future.

This is not Hart's first involvement in climate-related protests. He has been acquitted in court three times and previously received a suspended sentence for similar actions. Despite his sentencing, Hart vowed to continue protesting, stating, "I will fight against the death sentence of fossil fuels for as long as I have strength in me."

The Johnson Partnership, Derby