Story Bridge protester Paul Jukes released on bail

Three climate change activists who pleaded guilty for their actions during protests in Brisbane’s CBD on Tuesday have been let off without a fine after spending a night in the watchhouse.

THE protester who hung himself from the Story Bridge has been released on bail.

Paul Jukes, who lives in the Whitsundays, was released this morning with no conditions, despite police prosecutor Josh Kelly appealing to restrict him from coming within 100 metres of any Brisbane City Bridge.

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Extinction Rebellion protestor Paul Jukes suspended himself from the Story Bridge on Tuesday. Picture: Peter Wallis

Sgt Kelly pushed for the bail conditions to restrict him from coming close to the Story, Captain Cook, Victoria, William Jolly, Go Between and Merivale bridges, and to forbid him from climbing any structure.

Magistrate Hall however agreed with Mr Jukes’ lawyer Elliot Boddice that the conditions were “more onerous than necessary,” and released him on bail without the conditions.

He will face court again next month.

Meanwhile, two Extinction Rebellion members who pleaded guilty to blocking traffic have been let off without a fine.

Emma Briggs and Maria Lloyd faced Brisbane Magistrates Court this morning on obstructing the path of a driver in the CBD yesterday.

Magistrate Elizabeth Hall, in handing out punishments for the pair, noted their stints in the watchhouse as sufficient punishment and released them.

Another protester, midwife Emma Dorge, also appeared in court, alleged to have breached her bail conditions forbidding her to come within the bounds of the CBD.

Police prosecutor Sgt Josh Kelly, in his submission, argued that she had to demonstrate why she should not remain incarcerated.

Ms Dorge pleaded not guilty, claiming police pulled over a vehicle with her as a passenger on one of the “boundary streets” of her exclusion zone.

“I thought it was only within the bounds of those streets,” Ms Dorge said. “Police actually put their lights on for a licence check. We turned down that street as somewhere to pull over because it was busy traffic.”

She was released on bail, and will face court again later this month.

A third protester, Dylan James Bell, 25, has been released without penalty after pleading guilty to having stood on top of the King George Square bus stop.

Police alleged he stood on the bus stop roof, 10 metres above the ground, for 28 minutes waving an Extinction Rebellion flag while live streaming the ordeal on social media.

Police prosecutor Sgt Josh Kelly sought $500 in costs for having diverted police from their “normal duties”.

Mr Bell’s lawyer Elliot Boddice argued for a lighter penalty, citing his employment as a disability support worker and a lack of criminal history.

Magistrate Hall also agreed with Mr Boddice that police failed to justify the $500 costs, while acknowledging that protests were a drain on police resources.