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Four Aldermaston blockaders acquitted!

Trident Ploughshares Media | 12.11.2009 16:23 | Anti-militarism | Oxford

News just through from Reading Magistrates' Court that four people who took part in the Aldermaston Big Blockade on 27 October 2008 have been found not guilty of obstructing the highway by virtue of the prosecution failing to prove that they were in fact on a highway.

District Judge Peter Crabtree did, however, not accept the defence's assertion that the Atomic Weapons Establishment is engaged in unlawful activity.

The successful defendants, who have each been awarded costs, are Jean Oliver from Lanarkshire in Scotland, David Polden and Emma Sangster, both from London, and Renate Zauner from Switzerland.

The trial took place on 21-22 October, 2009, but the defendants had to return to court this afternoon to hear the judgment.

A fifth defendant, Barbara Dowling, from Glasgow, pleaded guilty on 21 October and was given an 18-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £85 in costs.

For further information and quotes, see earlier press releases:
 http://www.tridentploughshares.org/article1579
 http://www.tridentploughshares.org/article1578

See also:
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/11/441564.html

Aldermaston blockade blog:
 http://blockawe.blogspot.com

Trident Ploughshares Media
- e-mail: media [at] tridentploughshares.org
- Homepage: http://www.tridentploughshares.org

Comments

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Well done!

12.11.2009 18:27

Congratulations to all concerned! There IS some justice in the world!

Gregory Beetle


The judge is a Royal Navy Captain!

13.11.2009 13:21

Interestingly, it appears that District Judge Peter Dixon Crabtree OBE is a Royal Navy Captain, appointed as a District Judge in November 2005:  http://bit.ly/XGHma
Whether that makes him pro- or anti-Trident is anyone's guess!

Trident Ploughshares Media
mail e-mail: media [at] tridentploughshares.org
- Homepage: http://www.tridentploughshares.org