Press Releases & Updates 2004

Ray told Justice of the Peace Viv Dance he understood that a citizen had a right in law to step in when he saw someone about to commit a burglary or assault. In the same way he had committed a crime to prevent a greater one. He wanted his seven children, five grandchildren, two great- grandchildren, and his "gaggle of great nieces and nephews" to grow up in a world free from the threat of nuclear weapons. Ray is well known in Wales for his history of direct action against nuclear weapons.

Two further trials of people involved in last April’s blockade did not proceed. The case against Margaret Hutchby from Leicester was abandoned when it was discovered that the Procurator Fiscal’s office had cited the wrong police witnesses. Not so fortunate was Miriam Turley who came all the way from Belfast only to have her trial adjourned when a police witness did not attend since she was the sole court officer available at Hamilton Sheriff Court.

A great number of Faslane and Coulport related cases are in the pipeline at Helensburgh, which is the local court for the Clyde nuclear weapon bases. No relief is in sight for the hard pressed court, with Carry On Up The Clyde (the Big Blockade 2004) due on 23rd August, during the two-week Trident Ploughshares disarmament camp at Coulport, to say nothing of the increasingly frequent surprise actions at the bases.

These future actions are likely to lead to a great number of arrests for breach of the peace if the current local interpretation of the law continues to be applied by the Dumbarton Procurator Fiscal. This situation may well be changed by an expected landmark ruling from the Scottish High Court on a cluster of five breach of the peace cases, three of which are Trident related.

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