Preston, England-22 October:
In this, their second trial, Annika Spalde, Stella Vinthagen were convicted of criminal damage for their disarmament action at the base of HMS Vengeance, Britain's fourth Trident Submarine in September, 1996.
In contrast to the Greenock trial, the judge
in this court ruled out any defense based on International Law. Stellan
was able to refer to the acquittal in Greenock in his closing statement,
though, letting the jury know that a ruling had just been passed down in
another court that the Tridents as used constitute a "threat"
which justifies intervention.
The three defendants had been tried in May, after spending six months in prison. That trial ended in a hung jury and their release. The jury was not unanimous this time either, returning a 10-2 decision. The judge then sentenced Stellan and Annika to "time served."
Ann-Britt Sternfeldt, who acted with them at VSEL Barrow, was not present
for the trial for medical reasons. Her case has been left with the prosecutor.
