Press Releases & Updates 2001
27th March 2001
Seven Days in Jail For Determined Activist
Will Pay Fine When Hell Freezes Over
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Today a Scottish court gave an activist his fifth jail sentence for direct
action against the UK’s Trident nuclear weapon system.
Ian Thomson (58), from Douglas Water in Lanarkshire, a long term activist
for peace, the environment and Scottish independence, was appearing at
Helensburgh District Court for failing to pay a fine imposed for an
anti-Trident action in which he cut a perimeter fence at Coulport armaments
depot.
Ian told Justice of the Peace John McPhail that he was refusing on
principle to pay the fine and added: "With respect to the Court, I have to
say that hell will freeze over before I pay it." After consideration JP
McPhail sent him to Greenock prison for seven days.
His sentence will bring the total of days spent in jail by Trident
Ploughshares activists to 1070 and comes as the campaign looks forward to
Friday 30th March when the High Court will deliver its judgment on the Lord
Advocate’s Reference related to the trial and acquittal of the "Trident
Three" in Greenock Sheriff Court in October 1999.
A Trident Ploughshares spokesperson said: "Ian’s tenacity reminds us that
the core of this campaign is not complex political or legal arguments but a
straightforward determination to do whatever we can with the tools to hand
to disarm this awful weapon."
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Trident Ploughshares,
0845 45 88 366
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