Film and TV star Lucy Lawless and seven activists were today convicted and sentenced to 120 hours community service each over charges stemming from their attempt to stop an Arctic-bound oil drilling ship last year.

Along with six Greenpeace volunteers, the New Zealand actress occupied the Shell-chartered Noble Discoverer in New Plymouth in February 2012 in a move that captured headlines around the world.

Greenpeace activist Lucy Lawless (white shirt) talks to the media with fellow activists, from left, Ilai Amir, Zach Penman, Mike Buchanan, Viv Hadlow, Shayne Comino and Raoni Hammer after appearing at the New Plymouth District Court February 7, 2013. While appearing in court the activists were sentenced to 120 hours of community service and ordered to pay $5210 in reparation for climbing the drilling tower of the Noble Discover February 24 2012, while it was moored in Port Taranaki. All were arrested after a 77 hour occupation of the tower. An eight person was arrested on the first day of the action. The ship was being prepared for the it’s trip to the Arctic. Greenpeace/Nigel Marple

Speaking outside Taranaki District Court, Lawless said:

“We are proud to have taken part in our attempt to stop Shell’s reckless plans to drill for oil in the pristine Arctic.

“Since we occupied the Noble Discoverer, it has become evident to everyone watching, from the millions who have signed Greenpeace petitions to the US Government now examining Shell’s plans, that it can never be safe to drill in the Arctic.

Actress Lucy Lawless joins Greenpeace New Zealand activists in stopping a Shell-contracted drillship from departing the port of Taranaki for the remote Arctic, where its exploratory oil drilling programme threatens to devastate the Alaskan coastline. Six Greenpeace New Zealand activists, along with Lawless, famous for her roles in ‘Xena: Warrior Princess’ and ‘Spartacus’, board the vessel, scaled its 53 metre drilling derrick and are hanging banners from its summit, reading “Stop Shell” and “#SaveTheArctic.” They are equipped with survival gear and enough supplies to last for several days.

“Shell’s Arctic programme has cost them billions and it’s now regarded as an eye-wateringly expensive failure.

“Let’s embrace clean energy; we’re going to have to anyway, so why not do it before they cause a major oil spill in the Arctic, and consign our grandchildren to an uncertain and dangerous world?”

Lawless and six others climbed the drilling tower of the Noble Discoverer on February 24, 2012 while it was moored in Port Taranaki. All were arrested after a 77-hour occupation of the tower. An eighth person was arrested on the first day of the operation. The ship had been working off the Taranaki coast and was preparing for the first stage of its trip to the Arctic.

Besides Lawless, the others sentenced today were Raoni Hammer from Lyttleton, Mike Buchanan from Diamond Harbour, Shayne Comino from Lyttleton, Viv Hadlow from Auckland, Shai Naides from Spain, Zach Penman from Hamilton and Ilai Amir from Auckland.

Additionally they were ordered to pay a total of NZ$5210 in reparation to the Port of Taranaki. The court declined to entertain Shell’s claims for damages totalling about NZ$650,000 which the lawyer for the group, Ron Mansfield, said was “excessive and unjustified.”