Cardiff activists imprisoned following anti-McDonald's protest

Ian Brown | 19.10.2003 15:57

Cardiff police admitted in court to beating Val Swain while she was handcuffed. The judge then sent her and a fellow protester to prison despite the fact that neither have any previous convictions and represent no threat to any member of the public.

In the early hours of Thursday, 16 October, Cardiff police arrested three people on Newport Road. After handcuffing all three detainees and securing them in a police van, officers removed Val Swain from the van and beat her on the legs with a telescopic truncheon. Several hours later police raided the suspects' houses removing anti-McDonald's leaflets.

In Cardiff magistrates court the following day, the arresting officer admitted in a statement that he had beaten Val in order "to change her thought processes".

The three are charged with criminal damage, conspiracy to commit criminal damage and assaulting police officers.

None of the detainees have ever been convicted of any criminal offence and all hold down responsible jobs. Despite this fact, the judge, who earlier in the day released on bail a man who had threatened to kill his neighbour, remanded Val Swain and Geoff Cornock in prison pending appearance in Cardiff Crown Court on 28 October. Unquestionably, the judge has denied the right of Val's three daughters (aged 13, 10 and 3) to the care of their mother. The judge had endangered not only Val's job, but also that of her partner and, by so doing, places the integrity of the family in jeopardy.

The imprisonment of the two people is wholly disproportionate to the alleged offences. The confiscation of the anti-McDonald's leaflets, the brutality shown by police officers and the imprisonment of the accused demonstrates the true motives of the police: the victimisation of those who protest.

Val Swain and Geoff Cornock are political prisoners, detained for challenging the power of the state and the transnationals.

Is this tolerable?

Geoff Cornock is being held at HMP Cardiff, 1 Knox Road, Cardiff CF24 0UV

Valerie Swain is being held at HMP Eastwood Park, Falfield, Wootton-Under-Edge, Gloucester, GL12 8DB

Ian Brown

Comments

Hide the following 8 comments

Letter sent

19.10.2003 17:54

Letter immediately sent..is there anything else that can be done in support?

Matt

Matt S

What is the criminal damage?

19.10.2003 20:52

This article seems to omit some important information.
What is the alleged criminal damage? And... was there any criminal damage? Or any assault on police officers?

Brian B

Respect to those inside

19.10.2003 23:17

F*c*ing b*ast*rds ... We'd imagine the 'judge' who falsely holds the rights to judge others is probably a fox hunter as so many are ... a parasite, whatever the background.

The filth (judges) protect the filth (cops) who protect the filth (McShits and other abominations that are considered 'normal').

Solidarity! Will write to the two activists banged up for 'doing what should be done BY EVERYONE'!.

GetOutThereAndDoIt!

Reply to Brian

20.10.2003 09:16

They were caught allegedly with some spray paint and stencils. There is alleged graffitti damage to a mcdonalds. Also a couple of locks were superglued. A defendant has admitted doing the glueing during the interview, but he has been released on bail.

During the bail application, it was argued that the maximum possible financial costs of the damage would be approximately £1000, which would make it a case triable only by magistrates. It was also argued that even though there was a conspiracy charge, the CPS had presented no evidence of this. There is an assault (of a police officer) charge. It was alleged that whilst the police were beating val (whilst she was in handcuffs) she tried to kick back. So the only serious (triable by crown) charge is the conspiracy, for which even the magistrate admitted there was no tangiable evidence.

Taking all this into account it was argued that for the case to come to trial in crown would take several months. Considering the evidence, it would be highly unlikely that a person with no previous convictions or cautions would get a lengthy custodial. Further the remand would not only jeopardise Val's job but that of her partner, due to childcare problems.

We do not know more details because no-one (except the solicitor) has been allowed to speak to Val since Thursday evening. She has not even been informed of the welfare of her children or anything for nearly 80 hours!

bozavine

there are many ways

20.10.2003 13:32

A Crowd, the health and safety regulations, the hygene regulations, and plain forgetfulness. Get yourself a copy of Utah Phillips IWW CD "Making Speech Free" and be prepared to pack out the jails.. they do provide food for the hungry. Often not quite as nasty as macDonalds'.

Do it right and perhaps the Magistrate will lose that job. Perhaps there is mistaken Masonic solidarity in that decisino. Or orders from Blunkett for increased Police brutality. He is finding the jollies of keeping honest innocent people in jail for longer than the guilty convicted of the same offence does not now gratify him enough. He needs the kick of knowing that his minions can beat handcuffed female captives with impunity. And his Magistrates will destroy the economic base of those verminous dissident families stupid enough to be working.

Go on Policeman, Go for it, do a Blunkett! Earn a pay increase.

Ratty

NewsTravelsFast

20.10.2003 17:57

The main article here now appears at

http://www.keeponfighting.net/article.php?story=20031020181618789 and also on the front page of that site, hopefully we can get a show of solidarity in the form of letters of support being sent to Val and Geoff.

In struggle,

PACA.

PeopleAgainstCrueltyToAnimals (W.Mids)
mail e-mail: paca242000@yahoo.com

released on bail

21.10.2003 15:24

FYI, Val and Geoff have both been released on bail, having appealed to the
Crown Court, and having found a judge who wasn't a total knob.

CAN are considering sueing the police for beating Val....there's also still
the small matter of the trial to resolve...

info conduit

Many thanks to all who sent letters of support

21.10.2003 21:25

Just want to say a big thank you to all those who sent messages and letters of support. I was surprised just how much difference they made to the way I was coping with being inside.

From now on I'm a confirmed letter writer to anyone who ends up being incarcerated.

Thanks again

In solidarity

Val

Val Swain