Xena: Warrior Princess hails court ‘victory’

Xena: Warrior Princess star Lucy Lawless has claimed “a great victory” after a New Zealand judge handed her a modest sentence but declined to order costs sought by oil company Shell for her role in a protest aboard an oil-drilling ship.

She and seven other Greenpeace activists were each ordered to pay NZ$651 (£345) costs to a port company and complete 120 hours’ community service after admitting trespass charges.

Last February, Lawless and six other activists climbed a drilling tower on the Arctic-bound vessel Noble Discoverer to protest against oil exploration in the area. Lawless spent four days on top of the 174ft tower.

“I consider it a great victory that the court has struck down the reparation demand from Shell, which I think was absolutely ludicrous,” she said.