Activists damaged Rishi Sunak's house, court told

Greenpeace activists left former prime minister Rishi Sunak with a £2,937 repair bill after they damaged 15 tiles when they climbed onto the roof of his North Yorkshire home, a court heard.

Michael Grant, 64, Mathieu Soete, 38, Amy Rugg-Easey, 33, and Alexandra Wilson, 32, appeared at York Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday for the first day of their trial.

They each pleaded not guilty to a single count of causing criminal damage at Mr Sunak's constituency home in Kirby Sigston, near Northallerton, on 3 August 2023.

The Richmond and Northallerton MP also had to pay tree surgeons a £1,450 invoice after their scheduled work for that day was cancelled.

Victoria Ailes, prosecuting, said the defendants had been “reckless”.

She said: “There is no dispute that these four defendants were those who gained access to the property.

“The others who attended remained in the grounds.

“They used a ladder to climb up and once they were on the roof, they unfurled weighted black drapes and a banner that said: ‘No New Oil’."

The court also heard that two other people, who were standing on the lawn in front of the house, also unfurled a banner that said: “Rishi Sunak – Oil Profits or Our Future?”

This was in protest against Mr Sunak granting new North Sea oil and gas licences last July.

Mr Sunak, his wife, Akshata Murty, and their two daughters were on a family holiday in the US at the time.

But the activists were found by members of staff who were staying at the house while the family was away, including Mr Sunak’s private chief of staff, Scott Hall.

Mr Hall, who gave evidence as a witness, said he discovered the campaigners on the lawn at about 07:55 BST that morning and had been “shocked” by the incident.

He said: “I asked them what they were doing and told them they were not permitted to be there.

“I then saw four people on the roof but never spoke to them, I think they were there until about 13:00.

“The police called me later that afternoon to say they believed there to be some damage.”

He added Mr Sunak did not claim insurance on the damage and paid the bills himself.

Owen Greenhall, who was defending the activists, showed Mr Hall a picture of some window frames at the property which looked like they needed fresh paintwork.

But Mr Hall also told the court that the Grade-II listed mansion was “a well-maintained property”, adding that staff “would have been aware of any (pre-existing) damage to the roof”.

The trial continues.

Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].