Good court results from the last few days...
Toby & Phil are out on bail, many other cases dropped or offered bindovers.
Toby & Phil are out on bail, many other cases dropped or offered bindovers.
Some excellent news came last Friday: Toby & Phil, the 'B52 Two' were granted
bail, and finally have their freedom :) Thanks to everyone who supported them
while inside!
Their case continues, however, with Gloucester Crown Court making a judgement
on the legality of the war on 19 September. All Fairford-related cases still
going on seem to have been put off until this has taken place.
Today, several people appeared in Cirencester Magistrates Court.
Two Oxford activists were offered bindovers in place of charges of aggravated
trespass (after an incident in which people ran onto the runway at Fairford,
disrupting preparations for war and challenging the presence of the B52s there).
Given their personal circumstances, they were quite content to accept their
bindovers (1 year, penalty 100 quid). Many others still have charges pending for
this and similar 'runway incursions'.
A 'concerned citizen' from Oxford pled Not Guilty to charges of criminal damage
(to an aerial) and aggravated trespass, and the case was adjourned.
The prosecution have yet to produce any evidence to support this charge of criminal
damage; they claim not to have any CCTV footage, despite cameras being blatantly
evident at the time of the alleged incident. The judge ruled that they must produce
the elusive video.
Two others had their charges of criminal damage to the main gate of Fairford
completely dropped :)
Another Oxford activist also appeared briefly in court. His gate-related charge
is mysteriously still being persued, and was adjourned for the time being. Unhappy
with this, when the defence barrister asked what was wrong, he was heard to mutter:
'I've just got *loads* of court dates and it's a bit of a pain...'
At which the public gallery erupted into giggles... ;)