Press Releases & Updates 2000

Kreb Dragonrider (42), from Faslane Peace Camp, was appearing on four charges, relating to the 14th August when he cut his way into Coulport Naval Armaments Depot. On the first charge, that he had breached the military bye-laws by going inside the base, he was fined £200, in spite of the fact that the charge sheet referred to a maximum fine of £100. There was a second charge under the bye-laws, that he remained inside the base. No one at any time asked him to leave. Fine - £200. He was also charged with vandalism in that he cut the perimeter fence. Fine - £200. His fourth charge-that he had breached bail conditions - led to a fine of £250. The sentencing took no account of the 23 days he had spent in Greenock prison.

On behalf of Kreb, solicitor Liz Ross gave a thorough defence based on International Law and Necessity, quoting the judgment of Sheriff Gimblett at Greenock last October in which she stated that the Trident Three were justified in disarming Maytime. Justice of the Peace Fraser Gillies announced his guilty verdict with no explanation.

A Trident Ploughshares spokesperson said: "However legally competent our defence and however farcical the Procurator Fiscal’s contribution, the local magistrates are too frightened to challenge the status quo. Not one of then has the courage that Margaret Gimblett showed last October, when she recognised the validity of the case for the defence. JP Gillies again gave a savage sentence without the merest courtesy of an explanation."

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