Mum admits using car to try to move Insulate Britain protester

Sherrilyn Speid, 35, of Grays, admitted a charge of dangerous driving when she appeared at Southend Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

She had been at the wheel of her black Range Rover Sport when she came across an Insulate Britain protest near the M25 on October 13 2021 at about 8.30am.

The scene was caught on camera by a passer-by and heavily-bleeped footage was shown in court.

Prosecutor Ashley Petchey said there were three protesters sitting across the road and queues of traffic had built up behind them, Speid got out of her vehicle and “remonstrated” with the protesters, the court heard.

A woman is seen telling the protesters they must “move out of the way now” and “my son needs to go to school and I need to go to work”.

She also says: “My son is 11 and he needs to go to school.”

Of the dangerous driving count, Mr Petchey said: “It is not an excessive speed as the driver was using the brakes quite heavily.

“This is done on two occasions.

“The Range Rover stops very close to the female protester.”

Sherrilyn Speid outside Southend Magistrates' Court, she pleaded guilty to dangerous driving. Picture: PA

Mr Petchey said the dangerous driving meant that injury could have been caused.

He said: “Clearly this was an incident where there was a risk, even if no injury was caused.”

An assault charge against Speid, in which it was alleged that protester Bethany Mogie had been beaten, was dismissed, after the prosecution said it would produce no evidence.

The prosecution said it would ask for £310 in costs and a pre-sentence report was ordered.

Peter Hoche, chairman of the magistrates bench, unconditionally bailed Speid to next appear at Basildon Magistrates Court on May 6 for sentencing.

He also banned Speid from driving by issuing her with an interim driving disqualification.