THREE Machynlleth environmental campaigners are set to be jailed for chaining themselves to railings at the UK’s largest airport last summer.

Appearing before Willesden Magistrates Court, London, on Monday, Rebecca Sanderson, 28, of Newton Road; Richard Hawkins, 32, and Kara Moses, 32, both of Heol y Ddôl, were found guilty of aggravated trespass and entering a security-restricted area of an aerodrome.

The trio were part of a 13-strong protest by environmental campaign group Plane Stupid at Heathrow Airport on 13 July, where they cut a hole in a fence and tied themselves to railing on the airport’s north runway in protest against plans to expand the airport, causing delays and cancellations.

After a week-long trial, the protesters were told by District Judge Deborah Wright they would inevitably face a term in prison.

Shadow chancellor John McDonell, whose own constituency of Hayes and Harlington includes the airport, was due to be called as a defence witness in the case before Ms Wright deemed his evidence to be irrelevant.

After the case, Alice Hooker-Stroud, the leader of the Wales Green Party who lives in Machynlleth, said: “I am absolutely shocked by the judge’s ruling.”

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