Kilburn green campaigner admits criminal damage
Former independent parliamentary candidate daubed Treasury walls with graffiti
An environmental campaigner who stood as an independent parliamentary candidate last year for the Hampstead and Kilburn seat has admitted daubing the walls of the Treasury with anti-government graffiti.
City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard Tamsin Omond, of Oxford Road, Kilburn, stencilled an offensive slogan in protest of government cuts on March 22 - the eve of the Budget.
The 26-year-old granddaughter of baronet Sir Thomas Lees is claimed to have teamed up with two friends to protest against George Osborne’s plans to delay funding for the Green Investment Bank (GIB) to fund environmentally friendly projects.
They are said to have spray painted a picture of the chancellor with a quote from his manifesto pledge: “A Conservative Treasury will drive green growth...by financing a green recovery”.
Underneath was added: “Dear George, WTF [short for ‘what the f---’]has happened to the GIB?”
In a court appearance last month, the trio were told the Crown Prosecution Service was considering whether to issue a caution but they heard they would face criminal charges.
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Today (Tuesday), Omond admitted one count of criminal damage and was handed down an 18-month community discharge and ordered to pay �85 in compensation with �85 in costs.
District Judge John Zani said: “I trust that upon reflection you will agree that your behaviour has to be within the law and on this occasion clearly it was not.”
Omond, who was educated at �9,800-a-term Westminster School and Cambridge University and is the founder of action group Climate Rush, is said to have been helped during the protest by Sally Cole, 26 and Jennifer Sherriff, 24, who were also initially charged alongside Omond with criminal damage.
Cole and Sheriff will be given a police caution.
