Charged with trespass with intent to damage B-52s, Fairford AFB 3/18/03

To send a message of support to Toby and Phil or write to:
Toby Olditch-JT5132 (denied bail)
Philip Pritchard-JT5131 (denied bail)
HMP Gloucester Barrack Square Gloucester GL1 2JN, UK 
Please put your return address on the back. They would particularly like pictures of gorgeous outside places.

Peace activists target B-52 at RAF Fairford
1st UK Legal Challenge To War On Iraq (post-war), 20 June 2003
Gathering celebrates anti-war Prisoners, 11 May 2003
Back to main Prisoners for Peace page



Peace activists target B-52 at RAF Fairford
On the morning of March 18 2003, two peace activists set out to disarm a B-52 using hammers at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. They were stopped after attaching photographic images of ordinary Iraqi people labelled collateral damage? to the fence, planting white poppies, a symbol of peace and sowing seeds to represent life.

The activists, two Oxford based anti-war campaigners, Phillip Pritchard (32) and Toby Olditch (34), were on their way to hammer on the bomb bay doors to prevent them from opening and dropping bombs, hammer on the jet engines and put loose nuts and bolts into the engines to prevent the bomber from taking off. The men carried warning signs to post onto the bomber to warn the aircrew that the aircraft should not be operated. Notices with photographs of Iraqi civilians were also carried for nailing onto the bomber to inform aircrew of the consequences of bombing. The activists were carrying seeds as a symbol of life, red and black paint representing the blood of Iraqi civilians and Iraqi oil, respectively, to spill around the B-52 bomber, and a banner saying Hope and Resistance to hang on the bomber.   

They were charged at Cheltenham. Magistrates Court on 19 March 2003 with conspiracy to cause criminal damage, going equipped to cause criminal damage, and aggravated trespass. Bail was refused and they are remanded to HMP Gloucester. Phillip Pritchard is a carpenter and education worker, Toby Olditch is a marketing executive, both are Oxford residents.

One of the activists Philip Pritchard said: 'These planes are weapons of mass destruction, Its up to us to prevent them from being used to kill innocent people in Iraq. This war is illegal and morally unacceptable. If Tony Blair and George Bush really want to stop terrorism they should stop behaving like terrorists.'

Toby Olditch said: 'Each of us has a responsibility to take action against the move towards an illegal attack on Iraq, we only have hours left in which to prevent this humanitarian disaster.'

On Tuesday 25th March at Gloucester Crown Court a trial date of May 30th was set for Toby and Phil. They will be on remand in Gloucester prison until then.  

RAF Fairford, which houses United States Air Force B-52 bombers and possibly B-2 Stealth bombers has become the centre for demonstrations over several months. It is regularly visited by the Gloucestershire Weapons Inspectors.

For further information: 07971 406 180 or 01865 423 200 or e-mail: inspiraction2003@yahoo.co.uk



1st UK Legal Challenge To War On Iraq (post-war)
Gloucester Crown Court : Friday 20th June @10:00am.

The 10 Defendants in the cases below will plead 'lawful excuse' for doing, or attempting, criminal damage at RAF/USAF Fairford, Gloucestershire, UK, in the lead up to and during the bombing of Iraq, on the grounds that war on Iraq was illegal making their actions, or attempted actions, legal.

RAF/USAF Fairford was used as a forward bomber base for the duration of the recent air war against Iraq. The defendants are charged with doing, or attempting criminal damage to a perimeter gate of RAF/USAF Fairford, or the B52 Bombers & vehicles within it.

Before any of these cases can proceed, the judge at Gloucester Crown Court has recognised the need for a pronouncement on the legality or illegality of the war. This is the first time a UK court will have to make a ruling as to whether the war was legal or illegal.

The judge at Gloucester Crown Court has ordered all Fairford Defendants to come to Gloucester Crown Court on June 20th at 10:00am, so that he can sort out the order in which the cases are to be heard. It all promises to get ever more interesting....

THE DEFENDANTS ARE :
Josh Richards (charged with going equipped to cause criminal damage)
Phil Pritchard and Toby Olditch (charged with conspiracy and going equipped
to cause criminal damage)
Paul Milling from Birmingham and Margaret Jones
(charged with conspiracy and criminal damage)
Kate Holcombe, Geoffrey Cornock and 3 other people (charged with criminal
damage to a perimeter gate).

**********************

NOTES:

Plea and Directions Hearing. Please Come Along and Show Support.
Date: Friday 20th June. Time: 10:00am. Place: Gloucester Crown Court.
Kimbrose Way (On the A430 off the A38. On the junction of Commercial Rd
& Southgate St).
http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?X=383000&Y=218500&scale=10000

On 3rd and 4th March 2003, fourteen B52 bombers from USAF 23rd Bomb Squadron 'Barons' arrived at RAF/USAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, UK, to prepare for the aerial bombing of Iraq, which began on the 20th March 2003. On April 24th 2003, after 142 flights and 54 days, they left.

Fairford is in the Cotswolds, UK. RAF/USAF Fairford is one of only 3 forward bases (outside the US) for B2 Stealth bombers. The others are in Guam and Diego Garcia. In tests the B2 has released B61 and B83 mini-nuclear weapons, the first of a new generation.



Wednesday 7 May 2003
PRESS RELEASE

Gathering celebrates anti-war Prisoners and welcomes peace cyclists at Gloucester Prison
Sunday 11th May 2003

On Sunday 11 May at 1 p.m., about thirty people will gather outside the entrance to Gloucester Prison in Barrack Square to celebrate two Oxford peace activists[1] who are awaiting trial for attempting to disarm a B-52 bomber at RAF Fairford this March[2]. The gathering will welcome eight cyclists who have cycled from Oxford, the activist's home town, to Gloucester Prison in a sponsored ride.

The gathering will hear tributes to the 'The B-52 Two' Philip Pritchard (prisoner #JT 5132) and Toby Olditch (prisoner #JT 5131) [3]. Amongst the speakers will be the Ginny Stay, sister of Toby Olditch. There will also be music, messages from the ''B-52 Two', balloons with messages to them, colourful banners and a family atmosphere. The cyclists set off from Oxford on Saturday 10 May and cycle 70 miles, stopping-off on Saturday evening to arrive in Gloucester on Sunday morning.

Ginny Stay, sister of prisoner Toby Olditch, and speaker at the gathering said: "The gathering outside the Prison sends a clear message to Phil and Toby we support you and we care what happens to you and the people of Iraq. Phil and Toby acted to uphold international law and prevent the killing of innocent civilians in Iraq. The attack on Iraq maybe be over but there will be other international disputes and war is not the answer"

CONTACT: 07971 406 180 (mobile phone), 01865 423 200 (office)

EDITORS NOTES
[1] Phillip Pritchard, 32, a carpenter and environmental education
teacher and Toby Olditch, 34, a marketing executive are both Oxford residents.
[2] In the early hours of Tuesday March 18 the two peace activists were arrested as they approached a B-52 bomber inside the airbase at RAF Fairford. They intended to safely and openly hammer on the B-52 bomber to prevent it taking off and bombing people in Iraq. And then stay with the plane to account for their action.
[3] The two were remanded to Gloucester prison on 19 March by Cheltenham Magistrates Court. The two activists are charged with conspiracy to cause criminal damage; going equipped to cause criminal damage, and aggravated trespass. A jury trial in Gloucester Crown Court is expected this autumn.


Report from the Gathering, Nonviolent Action, June 2003

Over the weekend 10/11 May 6 people braved the 70 mile cycle from Oxford to Gloucester in a Pedal for Peace event. A further 50 people came from London, Oxford, Bristol, Stroud and Cheltenham to a celebration and vigil in Gloucester. There was a colourful crowd and a great cacophony.

The `B52 Two' - Philip Pritchard and Toby Olditch, who are in their 3rd month on remand in Gloucester Prison for attempting to disarm a B52 Bomber two days before the Iraq war, witnessed the vigil from their window.

Margaret Jones and Paul Milling, who cut their way into RAF Fairford and disabled the support vehicles for the fleet of B52 bombers in March, were in Gloucester Crown Court on 23 May. Dr. Margaret Jones is a freelance writer and former lecturer from Bristol and Paul Milling is a Quaker activist from Birmingham and was previously a magistrate and former Sheriff of York.

Margaret writes: The judge at Gloucester Crown Court (who seems intelligent and balanced in his outlook) has ordered ALL Fairford Crown Court defendants to come to Gloucester on 20 June, so that he can sort out the order in which the cases are to be heard. He is aware of the issues raised collectively by all these cases - and that at some point a court will be called upon to pronounce upon the legality or otherwise of the 2003 war on Iraq, before any of the trials can proceed...We have here about four separate, but interconnected, cases. It all promises to get ever more interesting ....

Contact: Margaret Jones: nabataat@yahoo.co.uk
The B52 Two c/o 16b Cherwell Street, Oxford, OX4 1BG, 01865 423 200

See Events for details of upcoming court appearances by UK anti-war protestors.