Press Releases & Updates 2007

After evidence from three MoD Police Officers which was somewhat inconsistent as to whether they had sat in their car watching Morag and Barbara paint for 3-4 minutes or jumped out and stopped them immediately, both defendants gave evidence themselves.

Morag explained the significance of the day, that the action as not just for themselves but for all those slaughtered in Japan that day, just to test a new weapons. She said that the move to replace Trident was so abhorrent that she felt the need to express her fear, alarm and distress in every possible way.

This included the political route (she is national co-chair of the SSP), although her local MP could not see anything beyond the Government line on anything so she felt there was no route left there. She is also involved in various forms of campaigning and is vice-chair of Scottish CND. However, she felt she also had to express her opposition physically, since all other avenues were being closed off.

Barbara explained how her Christianity motivated and supported her in this action. She said it was not enough to be just sympathetic, you must also act on your beliefs and do what you can.

After convicting both women of Malicious Mischief, JP Andrew Nicholson offered to defer sentence for six months for them to be "of good behaviour" in which case he would then admonish them. Both refused this, explaining that their definition of "good behaviour" included "acting in love" to uphold International Law and oppose Trident. After some debate about what the court could and could not do, procedurally, at this point, JP Nicholson fined each woman £60 and, when they refused to pay, imposed a Supervised Attendance Order of 20 hours each.

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