An 83-year-old grandfather has expressed his relief at being bailed after allegedly gluing himself to a train during the widespread Extinction Rebellion protests.
Philip Kingston was applauded by climate change activists and supporters outside Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court on Friday (April 26) after being released on conditional bail.
"I was assuming like the three arrested last week we would be remanded in prison - they have had the worst of it up to now.
"My only reservation is we're not in solidarity with them."
The octogenarian and five other climate activists are accused of gluing themselves to a DLR train in the Canary Wharf financial district in London on Thursday.
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Prosecutor Alex Britton told the court "numerous trains were affected and delayed" and estimated the cost of the disruption to the rail network at about £80,000.
Three other people accused of the same charge were last week denied bail and kept in custody - however one, Cathy Eastburn, was released on bail after a hearing at Blackfriars Crown Court on Thursday, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed.
All six defendants, who are part of the Christian Climate Action group, indicated not guilty pleas on Friday and were all released on conditional bail by district judge Susan Williams.
In front of a packed public gallery, the judge told Mr Kingston: "Quite frankly, how you got up to the roof of that train, Mr Kingston, I don't know, but your knees are obviously better than mine."
The other defendants are Ruth Jarman, 55; shoemaking teacher Nick Cooper, 37; Ian Bray, 51; Richard Barnard, 46; and Diana Warner, 60.
The judge said: "The widespread public disruption that took place yesterday at the height of rush hour was quite clearly planned.
"I take the view this matter is too serious to be tried in this court so I'm allocating your case to the Crown Court."
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She set a hearing date at Blackfriars Crown Court on May 23.
Bail conditions include an 11pm to 7am curfew and not entering the area bounded by the M25 with exceptions including meeting lawyers or attending church services.
The other activists accused of the same charge of obstructing trains or carriages on the railway by an unlawful act were from the Extinction Rebellion group, also known as XR.
Kingston, of Patchway, South Gloucestershire, Jarman, of Hook, Hampshire, Cooper, of Northampton, Northamptonshire, Bray, of Meltham, West Yorkshire, Barnard, of Hornsey, north London, and Warner, of Bristol, were greeted by supporters outside court.
