Jailed Brighton activist loses appeal and told to pay more than £300 in costs

Venetia Carter used chalk spray to paint “Insulate Britain” on Crawley Magistrates’ Court in April.

She was arrested at the scene and charged with criminal damage, for which Brighton magistrates sentenced her to two weeks at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey.

Magistrates told Carter, a tutor, she had "stuck two fingers up at the judiciary system" adding that she would have been sentenced to three months but could not be since she has no previous convictions.

Her sentence came after district judge Amanda Kelly gave University of Brighton student Charlie Turner, who uses the names Bliss Winters and Torch, a conditional discharge after he used "an act of expression" when he spray painted a building.

Carter’s appeal against sentence was heard this week at Lewes Crown Court in front of Her Honour Judge Christine Laing QC, who refused to overturn the magistrates' decision.

Venetia Carter, who lost her appeal, is pictured outside Lewes Crown Court

Carter, of Sutherland Road, Brighton, said she was disappointed with the ruling.

She added: “Along with other Insulate Britain supporters I am upholding the law and the fundamental right to life in the face of the government's deadly inaction on the climate crisis.

“Despite the risk of prison, I cannot stand by while the government fails to face up to the threat of climate collapse that threatens everything we know and love.

“I would rather go back to prison than fail to do what I can to push for real and urgent action on the climate crisis. I hope that in future courts will rule that prisons aren’t the right place for ordinary people who are standing up for urgent action on climate.”

The judge ordered Carter to pay costs of £330.

READ MORE: Activist to pay just £22 after £1,000 of damage in Brighton