Press Releases & Updates 2001

Marcus Armstrong (40), a community worker from Milton Keynes, had a Means Hearing today to deal with unpaid fines amounting to £275. Justice of the Peace Joe Scullion sentenced him to three seven-day sentences, to be served concurrently. Marcus will serve his time in Greenock prison. His sentence will bring to 939 the number of days spent in prison by the campaign’s activists.

Later, in the same court, Rowan Burrough (31), a care worker from Stroud in Gloucester-shire, appeared on a charge of breach of the peace. He was part of the "Crimebusters" blockade of Faslane last February. JP Scullion prevented him from questioning Crown witnesses about their understanding of the illegality of Trident in spite of Rowan’s assertion that it was relevant to his defence to give the context for his conduct. In finishing his simple and dignified defence he asked the magistrate whether he had questioned his superiors about the propriety of such proceedings taken against people who were upholding the law. Rowan was fined £100.

A Trident Ploughshares spokesperson said:

"As the courts are still struggling to clear the backlog of cases from last February they should be aware that they will again be inundated after the Big Blockade on February 12th this year, unless Strathclyde Police come to their senses and join the crime prevention process instead of arresting us."

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