GP jailed over oil depot protests told public 'would not condone repeated law-breaking'

A Birmingham GP who spent time in jail after she blockaded an oil terminal was told most people "would not condone" her "repeated" law-breaking. A misconduct hearing involving Dr Sarah Benn heard she took part in peaceful protests at the Kingsbury depot, near Tamworth, in April, May and September 2022 - breaching an injunction.

She told the panel activists wanted to cause "sufficient disruption" to force the Government and businesses to act meaningfully on the climate crisis. Dr Benn - who had a 32-year NHS career - accepted some people were inconvenienced, which she said she "did not enjoy".

She spent eight days as a remand prisoner after the April demonstration and served a 32-day sentence for obstructing vehicles at the terminal five months later. On Thursday, April 19, the Manchester-based medical practitioners tribunal declared her professional aptitude was hampered due to her misconduct.

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The panel said: "The tribunal has concluded that Dr Benn's conduct fell so far short of the standards of conduct reasonably to be expected of a doctor as to amount to misconduct which was serious. It was of the view that the majority of members of the public and profession would not condone breaking the law in the manner Dr Benn repeatedly did, and with the consequent impact on the operations of the police, courts and the administration of justice."

The tribunal will deliberate on potential sanctions for Dr Benn, which could range from no action to striking her from the medical register. The hearing was told the injunction targeted specific individuals and "persons unknown" who were protesting against fossil fuel production and use at the terminal.

The injunction explicitly warned that violating the order could lead to contempt of court charges, with possible imprisonment, fines, or asset seizure. The misconduct hearing has not questioned Dr Benn's clinical performance.

She graduated from Leicester University Medical School in 1990 and worked as a GP in inner-city Birmingham, as well as serving as a GP trainer and undergraduate tutor. She served NHS 111 remotely during the pandemic and worked with the Worcestershire Covid Management Service as well as at her practice.

Dr Benn gave up her licence to practise as of August 2022, turning her focus to environmental activism and voluntary efforts. In her statement to the tribunal, she did not contest the facts of the case.

She said: "The purpose on every occasion was to cause disruption sufficient to place pressure on our government and institutions to take meaningful action to address the climate crisis. The design always avoided risk of harm to any person impacted, although people were subjected to inconvenience, which I did not enjoy."

The hearing was due to continue today, Friday, April 19.