Press Releases & Updates 2000

Helen Harris (27), a teacher from Neath, was found guilty on 19th April in Helensburgh District Court on a variety of charges relating to her part in a Trident Ploughshares disarmament action at the Clyde nuclear weapons bases in May 1999. She had been fined £150 and ordered to pay hefty compensation of £500 to the Ministry of Defence for damage to a perimeter fence. The fine was transferred to her local court.

Kate Sidford, who attended court today with Helen, said: "Helen has been adamant all along that she would not pay. She has committed no crime and punishing her for actually attempting to prevent crime is a nonsense."

A Trident Ploughshares spokesperson said: "As a campaign we have already served a total of 730 days in prison (this does not include time in police cells) and Helen has today underlined the fact that we are prepared to take on the work of disarming Trident and are determined to follow it through. Helen was acting to uphold international law and the basic human right to life. Yet another magistrates court has lined itself up feebly and unthinkingly with the lawlessness of this state."

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