Helensburgh Court Report 11 June 2002

Dr. Margaret Jones, 53, a freelance writer from Bristol, was found guilty of breach of the peace following mass blockade of Faslane on October 22 last year. Margaret explained that she had come to Faslane after it had dawned on her that Trident was capable of destroying one third of the planet. She had not come to cause a ruck - peace campaigners were not hooligans. If anyone was causing alarm and distress it was the UK government.

Supporters in court were impressed with how well she mounted a good legal defence to a breach of the peace charge but showed that the real problem is Trident itself. JP Dance was less impressed and found her guilty, fining her £150. As she left the court a warrant for her arrest was served relating to another charge and she was taken into custody and will appear again in court on 12 June.

Ian Shimmin, 31, from Faslane Peace Camp was next. At the blockade of the base this February he had climbed onto the top of the North gate and it was over three hours before the police got him down by building special scaffolding. When it became clear that he had not been warned to desist by the police JP Dance accepted a plea of no case to answer on the breach of the peace charge but he was found guilty of malicious damage to the razor wire and fined £100.

Maureen Ukairo, a pensioner and retired home care worker from London was fined £150. She said: " I represent a large number of sympathisers who can't protest in this way." David