Sidcup ULEZ activist who sent threatening emails sentenced

Joseph Nicholls, 43, of Foots Crazy High Street, shared the post and encouraged others to vandalise and dismantle the cameras in a closed anti-ULEZ Facebook group in April 2023.

Then, on May 5, 2023, he sent an email to Yunex Traffic, the company that provides the cameras.

According to prosecutor Charles Evans, Nicholls’ note read: “When I see that little group of sad electricians (repairing cameras), I’m going to punch every single one of them in the face.”

Yunex’s infrastructure and technology formed the “core” of ULEZ and similar projects in Birmingham and Portsmouth, the company’s website says.

During a later search of his house by police, parts for two ULEZ cameras were found.

Defence lawyer Claire Cooper told the court that her client had never been on the street and damaged cameras himself, and that the items had probably been brought to his house by other anti-ULEZ activists who had previously gathered there.

The father of three wept in the dock on Wednesday as he was given a suspended sentence of 10 months for sharing the social media post and 18 weeks for the threatening email, with the two sentences to be served concurrently.

He was ordered to pay £1,630 in legal costs, £5,000 in compensation to Yunex Traffic and £187 in victim compensation. He agreed to pay the total amount of £6,817 in instalments of £200 per month.

In addition, the defendant must undergo 15 days of rehabilitation and complete 150 hours of unpaid work.

Delivering judgment, Judge Andrew Hammond said: “The question of whether there is right or wrong in relation to the ULEZ is not within the jurisdiction of this court but in any event this case is not about the ULEZ but about the rule of law.”

“(Your email) was a deliberate attempt on your part to intimidate other people. The people you threatened were employees who performed something of a public service.

“They have the right to carry out their work without fear of intimidation or threat of violence.

“These crimes were the result of your lack of temper and self-control and your lack of consistent thinking.”

The judge also said that although he never damaged any ULEZ cameras himself, he contributed to a larger movement that resulted in 174 cameras being vandalised in one way or another.

After the ULEZ area was expanded to cover the whole of London last year, vigilant groups repeatedly targeted the cameras.

Vehicles that do not meet the minimum emissions standards must pay a daily charge of £12.50 when used in the ULEZ zone, otherwise they face a fine.

Videos have been published online showing people described as “Blade Runners” cutting the cables of the cameras or removing the devices completely.

A spokesman for Transport for London (TfL) described Nicholls’s actions as “morally reprehensible”.

They said: “This was a morally reprehensible attempt to disrupt a programme that is helping millions of Londoners breathe cleaner air.”

“Toxic air causes children to grow up with lung atrophy and is linked to the development of dementia, cancer and other serious diseases.

“Most poignantly, it is responsible for thousands of premature deaths.

“We hope that this ruling serves as a warning to those who consider breaking the law and taking actions that could cause serious harm to themselves and others.

“The ULEZ continues to operate successfully across London and any broken cameras will be repaired and replaced as quickly as possible.

“Without the expansion, we would not have achieved the reduction of hundreds of tonnes of toxic nitrogen dioxide, which would be equivalent to taking 200,000 cars off the road.

“This has also resulted in more than 95% of vehicles driving in this zone meeting world-leading emissions standards.”