Green protesters to be charged with criminal damage over demonstration at Rishi Sunak’s home

Three people will be charged with criminal damage following a Greenpeace protest at Rishi Sunak’s home in North Yorkshire, prosecutors have said.

Mathieu Soete, 38, Amy Rugg-Easey, 33, and Alexandra Wilson, 32, will each be charged with one count of criminal damage over the protest last August in the prime minister’s Richmond constituency, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

Mr Soete, of Hackney, and Ms Rugg-Easey and Ms Wilson, both from Shiremoor in North Tyneside, are due to appear at York Magistrates’ Court on 21 March, according to the CPS.

A fourth suspect is due to answer bail at a later date.

Activists were pictured last year atop the roof of Mr Sunak’s grade II-listed manor house in Kirby Sigston, near Northallerton, which they draped with oil-black fabric in protest over what they called a new fossil fuel drilling “frenzy”.

The prime minister was on holiday in California at the time of the demonstration.

Rosemary Ainslie, who leads the CPS special crime division, said: “Following a review of the evidence provided by North Yorkshire Police, we have authorised criminal charges against one man and two women after a protest at the home of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on 3 August 2023.

“Mathieu Soete, 38, Amy Rugg-Easey, 33, and Alexandra Wilson, 32, will each be charged with a single count of criminal damage, and will appear at York Magistrates’ Court on 21 March.

“The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against the three defendants are active and that they have the right to a fair trial.

“It is extremely important there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”