Peace activist Friend wins ‘not guilty’ verdict
Sam Walton and Daniel Woodhouse cleared of criminal damages charges
Quaker peace activist Sam Walton and Methodist minister Daniel Woodhouse were found not guilty of criminal damage at Burnley Magistrates’ Court on 26 October for attempting to disarm Typhoon fighter jets at a BAE Systems factory in Lancashire on 29 January.
They broke into the complex in Warton via a fence on the perimeter of the site, and got within five feet of the warplanes before being stopped by BAE security.
Their aim had been to stop the jets, which had Saudi markings painted on them, from going to Saudi Arabia to support the ongoing bombing of Yemen.
Sam Walton and Daniel Woodhouse successfully argued that their intention was to save innocent lives and prevent war crimes by physically disabling the warplanes
They said the Court’s decision was ‘a condemnation of BAE, UK arms export policy and our complicity in Saudi Arabian war crimes in Yemen’.
Saudi-led forces are using BAE’s Typhoon jets in the ongoing bombardment of Yemen.
The UK has licensed £3.8 billion worth of arms to Saudi Arabia since the bombing began in March 2015.
The court heard evidence about the scale of the brutal bombardment, and the many serious accusations of war crimes that have been made against the Royal Saudi Air Force.
Along with the criminal charges, the police and the Crown Prosecution Service had applied for a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) on both activists.
A CBO is normally given to more serious offenders, who engage in criminal activity as well as antisocial behaviour. Had it been granted, it would have seriously impaired the ability of both Sam Walton and Daniel Woodhouse to engage in any form of activism.
Supporters stood prayerfully outside Burnley Magistrates’ Court during the three-day trial with banners of support. They included members of the local Area Meeting and of the Northern Friends Peace Board, as well as people from further afield.
The pair received messages of support from all over the world, including from those suffering from the bombing in Yemen.
In delivering his judgement of not guilty, district judge James Clarke said: ‘They were impressive and eloquent men who held strong views about what they were doing and what they wanted to achieve. They impressed me as being natural in their delivery and honest throughout their evidence.’
He added: ‘I heard about their belief of BAE’s role in the supply of aircraft to Saudi Arabia. I heard about their beliefs regarding the events in Yemen, that they include the death of civilians and the destruction of civilian property, and the basis for their belief that this amounted to war crimes.’
After the verdict the pair thanked their lawyers, especially barrister Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh of Matrix Chambers.
In a joint statement, they said: ‘We did not want to take this action, but were compelled to do so in order to stop the UK government’s complicity in the destruction of Yemen.
‘Thousands of people have been killed in the brutal bombardment, while companies like BAE Systems have profited every step of the way.
‘This vindication from the courts is further evidence of the hypocrisy and moral bankruptcy that underpins so much of UK foreign policy. It is time for the government to stop putting arms company profits ahead of human rights.
‘We do not regret taking action, and would do it again in a heartbeat. The only thing we regret is that we were not able to finish the job.’
Paul Parker, Britain Yearly Meeting’s recording clerk, said: ‘Quakers in Britain are delighted with this verdict. Sam Walton is a much-respected colleague who has worked with us for seven years. Throughout his life he has demonstrated a strong personal commitment to peace.
‘Quakers respect the laws of the state but our first loyalty is to God’s purposes. Quakers in Britain accept the authority of the court. However, as a faith community and historic peace church, we will continue to challenge the immorality of the arms trade.’
Among those who welcomed the decision were Friends from Pendle Hill Meeting, Green MP Caroline Lucas, the Peace Pledge Union, the Campaign Against Arms Trade and the Friends World Committee for Consultation World Office.
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