Press Releases & Updates 1999

Heavy Fines Dished Out

Today in Helensburgh District Court Trident Ploughshares activist Angie Zelter was fined a total of £375: £300 for alleged malicious mischief when she cut through the perimeter fence at the Coulport nuclear weapons base in August; and £75 for contempt of court arising from an appearance in January when she made to walk out of the court.

Facing a possible contempt of court sentence of 60 days in prison and asked for an unequivocal apology, Angie did indicate to JP McPhail that she was sorry if she had upset him. She respected him personally but she could have no respect for a court system which did not allow a full defence to be put or allow lines of questioning that were vital for the defence.

Angie said:

"A court which forbids such a defence is not acting in the public interest or concerned for public safety. I did not get a fair hearing and I will consider an appeal."

The court seemed surprised to learn of the leave to appeal to the High Court given to fellow disarmer Brian Quail on the basis that the same court may have been wrong in his case in not taking account of international law.

Also in today’s session Jo Markham, another TP2000 activist, based at the Faslane peace camp, was fined £225 for blockading at Coulport during the August camp and breaking the bye-laws during another action at Faslane. The Procurator Fiscal continued his erroneous interpretation of international law by telling her that the byelaws took precedence over the Nuremburg Principles.

Jane Tallents, who co-ordinates court support for the activists, said:

"The local court system is beginning to creak under the weight of its inconsistencies and its myopic failure to register the relevance of the principles of international law to what is going on down the road behind the fences. We will continue to apply the pressure."

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