Barbara Dowling
Date in: 11th January 2008
Release date: 14th January 2008
Barbara Dowling was given fourteen days in Cornton Vale Prison for breaching a Supervised Attendance Order, imposed on her for not paying a fine for a graffiti action at Coulport in 2007.
Georgina Smith
Date in: 11th January 2008
Release date: 1st February 2008
Georgina Smith was sentenced to 45 days in prison for painting the high court in Edinburgh. She was also ordered to pay £1500 compensation.
Helen John
Date in: 11th January 2008
Release date: 31st January 2008
Helen John was sentenced to 40 days in prison for painting the high court in Edinburgh. She was also ordered to pay £1500 compensation.
Irene Willis
Date in: 18th December 2007
Release date: 21st December 2007
Pensioner Jailed for Opposing Trident Nuclear Weapons
IRENE WILLIS, a 62-year-old peace activist from Southend, Essex was today sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment by City of Westminster Magistrates ’ Court for refusing to pay a fine of £50 (+ £50 court costs). The fine was for deliberately obstructing traffic around Parliament Square during an anti-nuclear protest on 14th March 2007 , the day Parliament voted to replace Trident, despite a huge Labour backbench rebellion.
Phill Jones
Date in: 30th August 2007
Release date: 13th September 2007
Today Glasgow District Court sent Phill Jones to Barlinnie for 28 days for not paying a £700 fine+costs laid on him by Derby Magistrates last September. The fines are the result of an action that blocked the entrance to Rolls Royce Raynesway during the TP weekend action there in October 2005. He is likely to serve 14 days.
Prison address is:
HMP Barlinnie GLASGOW G33 2QX
Chris Gwyntopher
Date in: 28th August 2007
Release date: 31st August 2007
This morning at Stratford Magistrates Court, Chris was given a 5 day custodial sentence for refusal to pay a fine incurred for blockading Joint Military HQ in Northwood in January 2003 in protest against military action against Iraq. Chris presented his case with characteristic calm and dignity. The magistrates were impressed but said they had no alternative but to impose a custodial sentence and 5 days was the minimum.
Marcus Armstrong
Date in: 13th August 2007
Release date: 24th August 2007
28 Days for Prestwick Protester
Following the acquittal of seven of the eight Prestwick protesters at Ayr Sheriff Court on Friday, the remaining accused, Marcus Armstrong (46) from Milton Keynes, was found guilty and sent to prison for 28 days, after refusing to pay the £750 fine imposed by Sheriff John Montgomery.
Marcus had argued that although he had been on an aircraft without permission he did have a reasonable excuse for doing so – the suspicion that the airport authorities and the British government were colluding in a war crime. Israel had been breaching international law by targeting its air strikes in Lebanon at areas and installations liable to contain civilians. They had asked the US for an emergency top-up supply of bombs. US planes delivering these armaments would need a fuel stop-over in the UK and Prestwick was one of the options.
Sheriff Montgomery said that Marcus had had no firm evidence to show that the UK government was aware that a war crime was being committed and so did not have a reasonable excuse for his actions.
Marcus told the Sheriff he would not pay the fine and asked that any substitute sanction be imposed immediately. He was sentenced to 28 days which he is likely to serve at HMP Kilmarnock.*
Marcus said: ” I acted to protect my brothers and sisters in the Lebanon. It is the only way I know how to live.”
A Trident Ploughshares spokesperson said: ” It is disappointing that Sheriff Montgomery, who was up to that point meticulously fair in his approach, came up with such inadequate reasoning in reaching his verdict. The provision in the statute for justification by reasonable excuse cannot logically require absolute proof of the validity of that excuse. It rather allows for exceptional action by a person acting reasonably. As the Sheriff will know, there was at the time of the incident general and widespread public and governmental knowledge of both Israel’s indiscriminate bombardment and of the re-arming flights stopping over in the UK. In that context, given that no-one in officialdom had the will or gumption to act, Marcus behaved entirely reasonably. The Sheriff’s error is not trivial – it attacks the right and duty of ordinary citizens to take responsibility when humanitarian law is being breached. That is dangerous for us all.
In the meantime there is continuing uncertainty about what, if anything, has been done by the authorities to ensure that Prestwick is not presently being used and will not be used in the future for the illegal transfer of armaments by the US military. In particular we are asking the Scottish Executive to take responsibility for this matter by ascertaining the current state of activity and commitments and acting appropriately on any knowledge gained. This is about war crime and the new Scottish Government needs to take a stand.”
The activists carried out the inspections of Prestwick Airport on the night of the 6th/7th August last year.
* HMP Kilmarnock Bowhouse KILMARNOCK KA1 5AA 01563 548800
More on the case is available at http://www.tridentploughshares.org/article1497
Photos at http://tinyurl.com/ytbh46 (once you view an individual photo you can see it at the original resolution by clicking where it says “Full size” above the photo)
Anna-Linnea Rundberg
Date in: 4th April 2007
Release date: 10th April 2007
Anna-Linnea was sent to Corton Vale by Dumbarton Sheriff Court for 14 days (she will serve 7) for an unpaid fine from a blockade of AWE Aldermaston in July 2006.
She made a good speech explaining the context of the action, with building already underway even though this was before even the White Paper then the MoD finally admitting they’ve already started upgrading Trident on the morning of the vote. She said she wouldn’t pay the fine at all and so was sent to prison.
The fine was £243 and was originally imposed by Newbury Magistrates Court.
Rosie Kane MSP
Date in: 27th October 2006
Release date: 2nd November 2006
Socialist MSP Rosie Kane has been jailed for two weeks after refusing to pay a fine imposed for breaking the law during a nuclear demonstration. The 45-year-old mother-of-two was among 10 people from Trident Ploughshares who were arrested last March as they protested in a 25ft model submarine outside the Scottish Parliament.
Ms Kane was eventually convicted of blocking the road and obstructing police and fined £300 in December. She has refused to pay the sum and was jailed today at Glasgow Sheriff Court.
After being asked by Sheriff Nigel Ross why she had not paid up, Ms Kane said she did not feel she had committed a crime.
Sheriff Ross said: “I don’t really have any other option. “A fine of £300 invokes 14 days of custody so I must impose that.”
Before the hearing, the MSP said she had been prepared to go to prison but she did not want to. “I certainly don’t want to go to prison but I am prepared mentally and practically for that to happen,” she said. “But this is about international law and my conscience makes me protest against nuclear weapons.”
Sylvia Boyes
Date in: 8th August 2006
Release date: 15th August 2006
On Remand pending trial on 11 September in Ayr Sheriff Court for entering Prestwick Airport as a Weapons Inspector.
Released on High Court Bail on 15 August. Trial date remains 11 September
Stevan van Elesen
Date in: 8th August 2006
Release date: 29th August 2006
On Remand pending trial on 11 September in Ayr Sheriff Court for entering Prestwick Airport as a Weapons Inspector. Refused High Court Bail on 15 August so is likely to remain on remand until then. He has been charged under the Aviation Security Act 1982 S21C(1).
Staven was fined £200 on 29th August for the Prestwick intrusion after pleading guilty. He is now free.
Jane Tallents
Date in: 18th August 2005
Release date: 19th August 2005
Jane was sent to prison for seven days today after telling Justice of the Peace Fraser Gillies in Helensburgh District Court that she had done nothing wrong and no intention of paying a £150 fine for a break-in to Coulport in August 2003, along with Adam Conway. Because of weekend release rules she is likely to be released from Cornton Vale tomorrow and there is no time for cards etc.
Janet Kilburn (Ippy)
Date in: 3rd May 2005
Release date: 10th May 2005
As the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) opened at the United Nations, Janet Kilburn was sentenced to two weeks imprisonment for her protest against the new developments at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) Aldermaston which will equip the UK’s nuclear weapons factory to build the next generation of nuclear weapons.
Janet, who refused to pay £471 court costs and compensation to the Ministry of Defence told the court that she would not pay “as a matter of principle”. Earlier, she asked how she could possibly pay anything to the government or the Ministry of Defence when they were preparing to violate their commitments under the NPT to work in good faith towards nuclear disarmament.
Janet had also been sentenced to two year’s conditional discharge in January 2003 for having cut the perimeter and inner security fences at AWE Aldermaston in June 2002, when AWE’s plan’s for a massive redevelopment were leaked to the Observer.
A spokesperson for the Aldermaston Women’s Peace Campaign of which Janet is a member said, ” Hers was the first action against the new developments, and the first imprisonment; there will be many more”. Protestors from AWPC and the “Block the builders” campaign have resolved to stop the development of the next generation on nuclear weapons at Aldermaston, using both the planning process and nonviolent direct action, “Since the government cannot bring themselves to comply with the NPT, we will have to make sure that they do”.
Carolyn Leckie
Date in: 20th January 2005
Release date: 24th January 2005
Central Scotland MSP Carlolyn Leckie was today sentenced to seven days in prison for refusing to pay a fine for taking part in a blockade of Faslane naval base in February 2002.
The fine of £100 was imposed at Helensburgh District Court in February 2003 and transferred for collection to her local court in East Kilbride. Because of the alleged offence Carolyn is under investigation by her professional body, the Council of Nursing and Midwifery, for “conduct unworthy of a midwife.”
Ray Davies
Date in: 5th November 2004
Release date: 19th November 2004
Popular Caerphilly councillor and veteran anti-nuclear activist Ray Davies, was sentenced to 28 days in prison today, for “wilful refusal” to pay fines of over £2000. The peace protest fines were incurred while taking non-violent direct action at UK nuclear bases.
Tove Ladberg
Date in: 1st November 2004
Release date: 4th November 2004
Tove Ladberg from Sweden was sent to jail today for seven days for refusing to pay a £150 fine imposed in September last year for taking part in the Really Blockade last April. She will get out on Thursday.
Dave Rollstone
Date in: 28th October 2004
Release date: 4th November 2004
Today at Dumbarton Sheriff Court, Dave Rolstone was sentenced to 14 days in prison for refusing to pay a £250 fine or carry out a supervised attendance order. In August 2002, Dave swam into the high security area at Faslane, spray painted the word ’vile’ and peace symbols on the side of HMS Vigilant, and then walked onto the sub and rang the ship’s bell.
Angie Zelter
Date in: 24th October 2004
Release date: 24th October 2004
Deported from Israel
Angie Zelter (also known as Angela Julian), a prominent nonviolent peace and human rights activist from the United Kingdom was held for deportation by the Israeli Authorities in a cell at Ben Gurion airport, Israel. Zelter, a founding member of the Trident Ploughshares and the International Women’s Peace Service arrived at Ben Gurion airport on Sunday, 24th October.
Zelter was detained and interrogated by Israeli authorities for over 12 hours, before being denied entry to the country. She was detained as a ‘security risk,’ placed in a holding cell at the airport police station, and told that she could be held 7 days before being put on a flight back to Britain.
She has since been deported back to Britain, and wishes to thank everyone who contacted the Israeli authorities and embassies on her behalf.
Adam Conway
Date in: 8th September 2004
Release date: 10th September 2004
Adam Conway (25), from Northumberland, was sent to prison today by a magistrate in Helensburgh District Court for refusing on principle to pay a £175 fine he received for taking part in a protest at Coulport in Scotland, the storage depot for the United Kingdom’s weapons of mass destruction.
David Heller
Date in: 18th August 2004
Release date: 20th August 2004
David Heller was sent to prison for seven days for refusing to pay a £50 fine for a blockade of Faslane Naval Base in February 2002.
Petter Joelson
Date in: 6th August 2004
Release date: 13th August 2004
Swedish peace activist Petter Joelson was sent to prison for fourteen days by a Glasgow sheriff for refusing to pay a compensation order of £400 imposed on him for cutting into Leuchars airbase in Scotland last March and painting anti-war messages there.
Just ten days before attacks by “Coalition” forces began, Petter (24), along with Roz Bullen from Edinburgh, painted the messages on signs and vehicles at the Fife base, which is home to Tornado aircraft which had been involved in attacks in Iraq. The aim was to draw attention to an illegal war and the threat to innocent civilians. It is estimated that up to 40,000 people have so far died in the conflict.
Babs Macgregor
Date in: 30th June 2004
Release date: 5th July 2004
Babs handed herself in to the police on warrants on Wednesday evening. After visits to various courts she is now in Cornton Vale prison until Monday. She appeared in Dumbarton Sherif Court today for non-payment of a £200 fine for the Big Blockade in February 2001 (yes it has taken this long!). She told the Sheriff she couldn’t give money to a war-mongering state. The Sheriff gave her 7 days.
Ludwig Appeltans
Date in: 2nd June 2004
Release date: 16th June 2004
Ludd handed himself in to the police after refusing to pay a £550 fine, imposed on him for opposing Government’s Weapons of Mass Destruction. He was charged only with of a breach of the peace. He was immediately taken to jail for 28 days on an extract warrant.
Sylvia Boyes
Date in: 25th May 2004
Release date: 31st May 2004
Sylvia Boyes has been sent to prison for 14 days. Sylvia was in court over non-violent anti-war actions before the Iraq war. She and a friend were ordered to pay compensation to the MOD for attempts to cut the fence at Menwith Hill and for laying stones on the runway at RAF Leeming. They had hoped to disable the Tornadoes at Leeming and a satellite dish at Menwith but were unable to do so. Sylvia refused to fill in a means form, which can lead to funds being automatically removed from your wages, and so was sent to prison for one week for each offence.
Ivor Birnie
Date in: 12th February 2004
Release date: 13th February 2004
Ivor Birnie is the third Trident Ploughshares activist to be sent to jail this week. He was given seven days in Saughton Prison in Edinburgh for refusing to pay a fine of £180 imposed last year by JP Fraser Gillies for being part of a blockade of Faslane during Coulport camp in 2002.
Jane Smith
Date in: 11th February 2004
Release date: 13th February 2004
Peace campaigner Jane Smith was today sent to Porterfield Prison in Inverness for refusing to pay a fine imposed on her for a protest at the nuclear weapons base at Faslane on the Clyde.
Jane Tallents
Date in: 9th February 2004
Release date: 16th February 2004
Jane Tallents (45), from Helensburgh, was sent to Cornton Vale prison for 14 days after refusing to pay a fine for blockading Faslane nuclear submarine base.
Olivia Agate
Date in: 16th January 2004
Release date: 20th January 2004
Olivia Agate was sent down for seven days for non-payment of a compensation orders relating to actions at RAF Leeming and Menwith Hill.
Margaret Jones
Date in: 2nd January 2004
Release date: 12th January 2004
Margaret Jones is in Eastwood Park Prison after refusing to pay accumulated fines.
Sue Brackenbury
Date in: 10th November 2003
Release date: 27th February 2004
Sue Brackenbury was remanded in custody after taking part in an anti-Trident action at Devonport naval dockyard.
21st December 2003
From Sue Brackenbury in Eastwood Park Prison:
“I am wishing everyone very warm celebrations and peace to all in the coming year. Enjoy the sounds of the bells ringing as I’ll be listening for the jingling of the keys at festive time. My dreams are still free even if my body is locked in four walls and fences. My vision is growing stronger each day I’m sat in my cell.
Thank you for everyone’s support over the past few weeks. It’s lovely knowing I’m not alone in support and that we are right- Trident should be in the dock and answering the charge – the charge of going equipped with the intent of destroying many peoples lives. How does the MoD plead?
Take care. Looking forward to meeting you all at the next Trident Ploughshares camp. Sue”
Olivia Agate
Date in: 28th August 2003
Release date: 5th September 2003
Olivia was sent to prison for 21 days. For breaking a conditional discharge that was given to her at York Crown Court for going equiped to cause criminal damage at Fylingdales. She broke her conditional Discharge by going to Menwith Hill during the war on Iraq to stop the US from planning their targets. There she was arrested for criminal damage. Please send letters and cards, stamps.
Tommy Sheridan
Date in: 25th August 2003
Release date: 29th August 2003
Tommy Sheridan, Member of the Scottish Parliament, was sent to prison for 1 week for not paying fines resulting from blocakdes of Faslane Naval Base
Olivia Agate
Date in: 4th June 2003
Release date: 6th June 2003
Skipton grandmother Olivia Agate has again been send to prison for refusing to pay financial penalties imposed for taking part in protests against Britain’s nuclear weapons.
Sue Brackenbury
Date in: 2nd April 2003
Release date: 16th April 2003
A Justice of the Peace at Cumnock District Court sentenced anti-Trident activist Sue Brackenbury to 28 days in prison for refusing to pay fines or comply with a Supervised Attendance Order, imposed for taking part in protests against Trident at Faslane and Devonport naval bases.
Ulla Roder
Date in: 10th March 2003
Release date: 9th August 2003
Ulla Roder spent several months in Cornton Vale awaiting trial for a disarmament action at RAF Leuchars, Scotland. She is accused of doing up to £25 million in damage to a Tornado plane.
more on Ulla
Pamela Smith
Date in: 10th February 2003
Release date: 13th February 2003
Pamela Smith from Edinburgh was in Helensburgh District Court for failing to pay two fines amounting to £200 for a blockade and for cutting the perimeter fence at Faslane. She told JP Alexander that she had no intention of paying and was given two seven day sentences to run concurrently. It is likely that she will be released on Thursday.
Karen Fallon
Date in: 3rd February 2003
Release date: 18th April 2003
Karen Fallon, a resident of Faslane Peace Camp, is one of the five activists who as part of the ongoing resistance at Shannon airport in Ireland, peacefully disarmed a US warplane that was headed for Iraq. Within the month, 3 of the 4 companies that were contracted for the war against Iraq, to ferry US troops and weapons, had left Ireland.
More information about Karen and the Pitstop Ploughshares action
Karen needs donations for her legal and living costs. Donations in pounds sterling can be made payable to “Karen Fallon”, c/o Talamh Housing Co-op, Birkhill House, Coalburn, South Lanarkshire, ML11 0NJ, Scotland.
Sue Brackenbury
Date in: 28th January 2003
Release date: 30th January 2003
Sue Brackenbury was given 7 days in jail today. She had a means court for an unpaid fine of £100 for painting the Faslane fence at New Year and made clear she wouldn’t pay or do Supervised Attendance. She had also just been fined £50 for stopping a convoy in Glen Fruin so she asked for no time to pay that and was given 7 days to be served at the same time. She will be out on Thursday.
Louise Robertson
Date in: 10th January 2003
Release date: 17th January 2003
Peace activist Louise Robertson was sent to prison for 14 days after refusing to comply with a Supervised Attendance Order (SAO) imposed on her last year when she refused to pay a fine for taking part in the Big Blockade of Faslane in February 2001.
Ulla Roder
Date in: 30th December 2002
Release date: 6th January 2003
On the evening of Saturday 28 Dec shortly after 7pm the two activists entered the RAF Fylingdales Ballistic Missile Early Warning station in Yorkshire and were arrested while attempting to reach the satellite communication dome. The pair had cut through two fences and were cutting through the razor wire when arrested.
Ulla Roder will appear at Harrogate Magistrates Court at 11am on Monday 6th January
Michael Pettersson
Date in: 27th November 2002
Release date: 29th November 2002
On the day the UN Inspectors began their weapons inspection in Iraq Helensburgh District Court sent Swedish activist Michael Pettersson to jail for seven days after he refused on principle pay a fine he incurred for his part in a blockade of Faslane naval base, home to Britain’s weapons of mass destruction.
George McNeilage
Date in: 18th November 2002
Release date: 25th November 2002
Helensburgh District Court sent George McNeilage to jail after he refused to pay a £250 fine the court had imposed for a blockade of Faslane naval base last October. He told Justice of the Peace John Macphail that he still had no intention of paying the fine.
Lyn Bliss
Date in: 26th June 2002
Release date: 29th June 2002
Lyn Bliss from Luton was given 7 days for refusing to pay a fine for blockading Faslane in Feb 2000. The £100 fine imposed in Dec 2000 had been transferred to Luton and bailiffs have been failing to collect it for some time!
Olivia Agate
Date in: 10th June 2002
Release date: 14th June 2002
Olivia was sent to Cornton Vale prison after refusing to pay a fine of £150 for the Big Blockade.
Joan Meredith
Date in: 8th June 2002
Release date: 11th June 2002
Joan, a 72 year-old grandmother was given a seven day sentence in Helensburgh District Court for refusing to pay a fine of £150 for her part in a blockade of a nuclear weapons depot on Hiroshima Day, 6th August, last year.
Sylvia Boyes
Date in: 7th May 2002
Release date: 10th May 2002
Bingley Magistrates sent veteran peace campaigner Sylvia Boyes to jail for seven days after she refused, on grounds of conscience, to pay two fines imposed on her for sit-down protests.
Roger Franklin
Date in: 1st May 2002
Release date: 7th May 2002
Veteran peace campaigner Roger Franklin was sent to prison for 21 days after refusing to pay fines and compensation orders incurred for direct actions against the UK’s Trident nuclear weapons system. Prior to today’s hearing, Roger, 75, from Horsley, Gloucestershire, had advised Stroud Magistrates Court that on principle he had no intention of paying up.
Molly Harvey
Date in: 15th March 2002
Release date: 18th March 2002
Marcus Armstrong
Date in: 4th March 2002
Release date: 21st March 2002
A lay magistrate in Helensburgh District Court sent peace campaigner Marcus Armstrong to Greenock prison for 34 days for non-payment of three fines imposed for anti-Trident actions.
Frances Howe
Date in: 2002
Release date: 25th March 2002
After the convoy action in Balloch on Monday Frances Howe was held on a warrant for not paying a fine from a TP camp fence cut. She appeared in Helensburgh District Court on Tuesday and was given 14 days jail. She is in Cornton Vale until next Monday.
Margaret Jones
Date in: 19th February 2002
Release date: 11th March 2002
Peace activist and Trident Ploughshares Pledger Dr. Margaret Jones was sentenced to 40 days on Tuesday 19 February for non-payment of fines relating to her peace activities at Aldermaston, Faslane and Whitehall.
Ulla Roder
Date in: 15th February 2002
Release date: 25th March 2002
Danish anti-Trident campaigner Ulla Roder has been sent to Cornton Vale women’s prison on remand for five weeks after being presented with two options in regard to bail, both of which would breach her human rights.
Ellen Moxley
Date in: 30th January 2002
Release date: 6th February 2002
Ellen was sentenced to 14 days in prison after refusing to pay a fine relating to the “Big Blockade” at Faslane naval base in February 2001.
Ludwig Appeltans
Date in: 30th January 2002
Release date: 6th February 2002
Ludd was sentenced to 7 days in prison after refusing to pay a £200 fine for cutting fences around the Coulport nuclear warhead store in August 2001.
Jenny Gaiawyn
Date in: 29th November 2001
Release date: 14th January 2002
Jenny was given a very harsh sentence for Breach of the Peace, after taking part in the “Big Blockade” of Faslane naval base on 12th February 2001. The sentence has been criticised by members of the Scottish and European parliaments, as well as other respected figures.