Councillors, including the leader of Somerset Council, have donated to a crowdfunder to help meet the legal costs of a colleague who has been jailed for taking part in a Just Stop Oil protest.

Michael Dunk has been a Green Party councillor in Frome West on Somerset Council for the last three years, but there is expected to be a by-election next year to replace him after he was sentenced to 26 months in prison for climbing on a gantry at the protest on the M25 in November 2022.

The crowdfunder set up to support Dunk has now reached £6,090 as of December 9, exceeding the £4,380 initially sought to meet Dunk’s legal costs.

Frome Area Green Party, which has organised the fundraiser, say any further money raised will go towards further legal costs Dunk may incur or towards costs faced by other Just Stop Oil protestors.

Among councillors to donate to Dunk’s fundraiser is Somerset Council leader Bill Revans, who gave £100.

Revans has confirmed he made the donation in a personal capacity rather than as leader of Somerset Council.

‘I have made it clear that I do not condone or support his criminal actions,’ he said, adding that he disagrees with the ‘excessive sentence that has been handed out’.

Also donating in a personal capacity is Somerset Council’s Liberal Democrat councillor for Frome North, Adam Boydon, who said Dunk’s sentence is ‘harsh’ and that he ‘has been treated poorly by the justice system’. He also donated £100.

Another Somerset councillor to donate is the Green Party’s representative for Frome West Martin Dimery, who gave £50, saying that he shall miss Dunk’s ‘company, advice, and great humour, especially on those otherwise dull journeys across Somerset to council meetings. It has been an honour to serve with him’.

Councillors are not allowed to remain in office if they receive a sentence of more than three months for a crime. However, Dunk currently retains his seat until a period of appeal expires or if he is released on appeal, according to Cllr Dimery.

In a statement Dunk said that ‘sadly’ he is unable to continue representing those who elected him while in prison ‘but I consider that I acted in their best interests’.