Sarah Ledsom outside inaccessible Victoria Street Magistrates Court, Liverpool. Photo: Photo courtesy of IndyMedia UK.
Sarah Ledsom outside inaccessible Victoria Street Magistrates Court, Liverpool. Photo: Photo courtesy of IndyMedia UK.
A leading protester against the census has had her case discharged. Sarah Ledsom had refused to participate in the census because a division of the American-based company Lockheed Martin, part of whose activities involve the production of arms, were given the contract to administer the census in Britain.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), in giving reasons for discontinuing the charges against her, wrote of Sarah’s ‘significant ill-health’ and the difficulties she experienced ‘travelling to court and accessing facilities at court.’
On several occasions Sarah, who has to use walking sticks, crutches or a wheelchair to get about, has been asked to attend courts where there is no disabled access, such as that at Victoria Street in Liverpool.
Sarah argued that she was not receiving a fair trial under Article 6 of the Human Rights Act and believes that there were other reasons for dropping the case.
These included the CPS being out of time in issuing a summons, her receiving no response from the CPS regarding her arguments for not participating in the census, and the lack of clear and adequate communication by the CPS with her.
* Updated 5 November 2012: Article modified to remove reference to Sarah Ledsom as a Quaker after it was brought to the Friend’s attention that she is not a member or attender of The Religious Society of Friends.
Please login to add a comment
Become a subscriber to enjoy unlimited access to our articles, dating back to 2009! Online subscribers get the Friend to their inbox each week, can comment on articles, and dive into our 1914-18 digital archive too!
Whether you are new to Quakerism or have been going to Meeting for years, you’ll find something here to inspire, inform and challenge you.
News | Views | Reviews
Written by and for Friends on the bench
Subscribe