Scottish and English courts continue to hear cases from the Trident Ploughshares 2000 campaign to eliminate the United Kingdom's illicit nuclear weapons capability.

Persistent resister Ian Thomson cut the fence at the Coulport nuclear weapons storage base for the tenth time on January 21. Taken to court, Thomson was remanded to custody on this and other outstanding charges until February 2, when he was released on standard bail conditions.

Pamela Smith represented herself in Helensburgh District Court January 25 on a charge of Breach of the Peace at the Faslane nuclear submarine base. She argued for dismissal because the vagueness of the charge contravenes a European Convention on Human Rights. The judge rejected this argument, and an appeal is being made.

Despite this and earlier appeals underway, local magistrates continue to issue verdicts in cases from Faslane and Coulport bases, all the while declaring their incompetence to consider international law as a possible defense. Fines and probation are the typical sentence, while dismissals and a few acquittals on other grounds are also occurring. A few cases have recently been heard in other parts of Great Britain, also.

Aldermaston Women Trash Trident

Trial for Rosie James and Rachel Wenham began in Lancaster Crown Court on January 24. The women, members of Aldermaston Women Trash Trident affinity group, face charges of causing £25,000 worth of damage to HMS Vengeance, a Trident submarine, in the Barrow shipyard on the night of February 1, 1999. The two donned wet suits to swim out to the submarine, then climbed aboard and used hammers to disarm equipment on the conning tower. They also sprayed messages of peace and hung a banner declaring "Women Want Peace."

After a jury was selected, the prosecution began their case by producing a new statement claiming a four-fold increase in the value of damage. Asked to substantiate the higher figure, the prosecution procrastinated for two more days, meanwhile hinting at damage estimates ranging from zero to almost one million pounds. Finally, the vagueness of the testimony made it clear an independent assessment was needed, and therefore a substantial delay in the trial. The jury was dismissed, and the trial rescheduled for Manchester Crown Court on September 11, 2000.

For more information, contact Aldermaston Women Trash Trident at awtt@hotmail.com.

February Action Camp

The winter gathering in Scotland was the largest to date, with more than 400 people taking part in a February 14 blockade at Faslane. One hundred and eighty five protesters were eventually arrested and cited, with only two held overnight.

Statements of support read at the blockade included regrets he could not join them from the actor Sir Sean Connery. Actress Emma Thompson's statement said "It is time to recognize that there is no place in a civilised society for these vicious weapons."

Trident Ploughshares Midlands

Further south in Newbury Magistrates court, four members of the Trident Ploughshares Midlands affinity group were convicted March 3 of causing criminal damage to the fence at Aldermaston. After being repeatedly denied formal access last summer, they cut their way in to inspect the premises for evidence of production of nuclear weapons. Although the magistrate heard several expert witnesses for the defense, he said he could not consider international law because it was not incorporated by the statute. The four were sentenced to pay compensation and court costs, and one woman was fined an additional £100.

Organizers report that since the Trident Ploughshares 2000 campaign began in August 1998, there have been 544 arrests, 55 trials and 730 days spent in prison (not including time in police cells). For more information, see Future Actions and the contact details listed there.