West Gate Climate Protesters Sentenced to Increased Prison Time
A woman was forced to give birth on the side of the road after an ambulance couldn’t reach her due to protesters blocking the lanes.
Two protesters who drove a truck onto the West Gate Bridge and caused a traffic jam leading to a woman giving birth had their prison sentences increased.
Deanna “Violet” Coco, 33, and Bradley Homewood, 51, appealed their initial 21-day sentences in the County Court in Melbourne on March 19.
Instead, their sentences were increased to two months by Judge David Sexton, who stated that they had deliberately broken the law.
The rental truck blocked three lanes of traffic on the bridge during peak hour, leading to major delays.
The protesters climbed onto the truck, linked themselves together using pipes, set off flares, and displayed an Extinction Rebellion banner before being arrested.
Ms. Coco and Mr. Homewood were initially sentenced to 21 days in jail for public nuisance offenses, but their sentences were increased upon appeal.
Director of Public Prosecutions Kerri Judd also appealed their sentences, as she believed they were inadequate.
During the protest, 26 police attended at a cost of almost $8,000, with 13 calls receiving a delayed response and three Ambulance Victoria calls being impacted.
The ambulance couldn’t reach the woman who had to give birth on the side of the road due to the blockage caused by the protesters.
In court, Ms. Coco apologized to the woman and her baby, expressing remorse for the impact of their actions.
The judge increased their sentences to two months each, citing the planned disruption caused during peak hour on a busy road.
Ms. Coco has already served 10 days of her sentence, while Mr. Homewood has served 14.
The third offender, Zammit, was released on bail after the protest.
