Press Releases & Updates 2001

Sylvia (57), from Keighley in Yorkshire, was one of a number of Trident Ploughshares activists who, in May this year, cut their way into the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston, where components for Britain’s Trident nuclear warheads are made. Subsequently she was found guilty of criminal damage in Newbury Magistrates Court where a compensation order of £300 was imposed on her along with court costs of £314. She appeared today in her local magistrates court for a means enquiry and told the court that on principle she had no intentions of paying either order.

Sylvia has been sent to Newhall Prison, near Huddersfield.* She is likely to serve 14 days of the 28-day sentence.

In January this year Sylvia, along with River, was acquitted of conspiracy to cause criminal damage by by a jury in Manchester Crown Court after attempting to damage Trident submarine HMS Vengeance in November 1999.

David Mackenzie said: "When we find ourselves in new courts there is always the wild hope that things might be different, that this time it will occur to the bench that the state is actually wrong to be planning mass murder and that those who are acting against it should be congratulated not jailed. Sadly Bingley is not any better."

*HMP Newhall , Dial Wood, Flockton nr Wakefield, Yorkshire WF4 4AX

Update: Sylvia Boyes has since been moved to open prison HMP Morton Hall, Swinderby, Lincoln LN6 9PT.

Printer friendly version

Home | Top