Press Releases & Updates 2001

Conrad Hughes (29), a computer security specialist from Edinburgh, Charles McInally (52), a physical education teacher from Glasgow, and Bob Wallace, a student from Edinburgh, had appealed the sentence given to them by the JP when he found them guilty of a breach of the peace at the Big Blockade of Faslane in February. Lord Weir and Lord Kirkwood found that fines of £250 handed down to each of the three were excessive and ordered them to be reduced. Conrad’s was reduced to £175 and the fines of the other two were cut to £125, the variation being based on relative means.

The three represented themselves and the judges congratulated them on the "competent and restrained" presentation of their case. To establish that the magistrate was biased against anti-nuclear protest they quoted from the "stated case" he had prepared for an appeal submitted by Trident Ploughshares member Jane Tallents. JP Gillies had written: "I’m aware that incidents of this type at the naval bases situated on the Clyde are becoming far too common and was of the view that the Court must mark its strong disapproval of such by imposing an appropriate sentence."

An appeal against a fine by JP Gillies was also upheld on 4th October this year when Anne Kobayashi (60), from Essex, had her fine reduced from £250 to £175.

Jane Tallents said: "We hope that Argyll and Bute courts administration will now get the message and take on board the growing concern about the competence of this magistrate. There should be no place on the bench for the prejudice, the routine imposition of heavy sentences, or the unwillingness to listen to the arguments of the accused that he demonstrates time and again."

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