News Shorts and Other Busyness

First CJA Conviction For Trespassory Assembly

Squall 11, Autumn 1995, pg. 7.

The first court conviction for breaking the new law on assemblies of more than 20 people, were made in Salisbury Magistrates Court in early October.

Dr Margaret Jones, a senior lecturer in literary studies at the University of West of England in Bristol, and Richard Lloyd a postgraduate student from Bristol, were charged with taking part in a prohibited assembly at Stonehenge on June 1st. They are the first to be convicted under section 70 of the Criminal Justice Act.

During the court case, Dr Jones shouted at Salisbury Magistrates that “It is wrong to uphold an oppressive law”. She was given a two year conditional discharge plus £100 costs, whilst Lloyd was fined £140 with £100 costs.

Both pledge to take their case to the European Court of Human Rights.