JURY DIVIDED ON TRIDENT PROTEST

After finding them Not Guilty on one charge the jury in the Manchester Crown Court trial of nuclear disarmers Rosie James and Rachel Wenham has been discharged after being unable to agree on the other charge. The women were each charged with two counts of criminal damage to Trident submarine HMS Vengeance at Barrow in February 1999.

On 19 Sep after four hours of deliberation, the jury returned with a majority verdict of Not Guilty for both women on the second count of spray-painting "Death Machine and "Illegal" on the vessel.

On 20 Sep, after retiring for a total of 6 hours 13 minutes, the jury were unable to reach a verdict on the first count of hammering test equipment. The prosecution now has until 2 p.m. on Friday to state before the court whether the Crown Prosecution Service intends to ask for them to be tried again.

A spokeswoman for the women's affinity group, Aldermaston Women Trash Trident, said: "We see this outcome as a victory. Our case clearly caused a serious dilemma for the jury and it shows that instinctive morality is alive and well. If there is a retrial it will be the third appearance in the dock for these women in this case. We believe it will be a complete waste of public money to add to the £1.5 billion already being spent this year on the Trident system."

Ms Wenham said: "Despite the efforts of the UK government, this case has shown that the moral conscience of the British people is alive and kicking! An English jury has seen the truth about Britain's nuclear weapons system and has questioned the moral and legal legitimacy of Trident."