The two Trident Ploughshares activists who were arrested early yesterday inside the VSEL dock at Barrow-in -Furness appeared in Barrow Magistrates Court today on a charge of conspiring to commit criminal damage and were remanded in custody to appear again on Thursday 2nd December.
Sylvia Boyes (56), a peace campaigner from Birmingham, and River (44), a university lecturer from Manchester, had intended to swim across the dock and board the nuclear weapons submarine Vengeance, which is due to be commissioned this Saturday, 27th November. They were carrying with them disarmament equipment such as hammers, glue and spray-on varnish.
Sylvia Boyes applied for and was refused bail. During today's hearing she welcomed the description of her by the Prosecutor as a "dedicated peace activist". River did not make an application for bail. Sylvia will be held in Styal Prison in Cheshire and River will go to Preston Prison.
A Trident Ploughshares spokesperson said:
"This vessel and all parts of the Trident system are illegal. We will continue to act to disarm it, even if this means swimming in dirty freezing water in the middle of the night and going to prison."
Messages of support can be sent to:
Sylvia Boyes
HMP Styal
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 4HR
Keith Wright
HMP Prison Preston
2 Ribbleton Lane
Preston
PR1 5AB