Three Just Stop Oil protesters accused of deliberately disrupting the Open Golf Championship have been cleared of causing a public nuisance.
The trio breached the perimeter of the roped-off 17th hole at the course in Wirral, Merseyside, to be greeted with angry shouting from the crowd, while golfer Billy Horschel helped a marshall to remove one demonstrator.
George Birch, 21, Noah Crane, 20, and Lucy Timlin, 46, denied charges of intentionally or recklessly causing a public nuisance at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club at Hoylake on 21 July 2023.
A judge at Liverpool Crown Court directed the jury to deliver not guilty verdicts on the grounds that there was insufficient evidence.
The court heard how the incident unfolded during the three-day tournament which is viewed by hundreds of thousands of spectators, with golfer Billy Horschel helping a marshall to remove one demonstrator.
The jury was also shown police body-cam and other footage of the defendants, who were accused of throwing orange powder, letting off a smoke flare and sitting on the course.
