Manifestly Excessive

The squashing of the custodial sentences given to three fracking protestors in Lancashire, on the grounds that they were 'manifestly excessive' (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/18/this-is-just-the-beginning-freed-activists-return-to-fracking-site) appears to right a serious wrong (the individuals were first offenders, apparently of good character and endangered nobody in their activities). What is less easily corrected, however, is the suspicion that the initial trial had a vindictive element as a) the three were reportedly tried under an ancient law that could, in theory, have resulted in life imprisonment; b) the judge involved had close family connections to the hydrocarbon industries and c) traditional extenuating factors were ruled out in the trial. It almost appears that someone (in authority?) wanted to deter people from even considering protesting about fracking.