Shropshire residents defend right of Juries in protest outside Shrewsbury Crown Court
A group of Shropshire residents risked arrest outside Shrewsbury Crown Court this morning by joining a national day of action organised by the Defend Our Juries campaign.
Beginning at 9am, the group staged an hour-long silent vigil outside the court. They held signs highlighting the centuries’ old right of all jurors in British courtrooms to acquit a defendant according to their conscience, irrespective of the directions of the judge.
The action was part of a day of national protest, with similar events happening at over 50 courts around England and Wales.
The Defend Our Juries campaign began after a wave of repression in the courts that has seen defendants banned from explaining to the jury why they did what they did; people being sent to prison for trying to explain their actions to the jury; and others being told not to use the words ‘climate change’ and ‘fuel poverty’.
Defendants have also been banned from explaining the principle of ‘jury equity’ to jurors, even though it is a well established principle of law, which is set in marble at the original entrance to the Old Bailey.
Kate Griffith, 67, a retired accountancy clerk from Much Wenlock, said:
"I am risking arrest to be here this morning, because I believe our legal system has to let defendants tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth in court. Jurors must have all the information they need in order to make their decisions.
"My grandfather was a high court judge and I know he would have supported my actions today. He instilled in me a sense of morality and a deep respect for our world famous British legal system. We cannot allow the centuries’ old rights of jurors to be undermined by political pressure."
Jamie Russell, 49, an author from Shrewsbury, said:
"I was brought up to believe that the British legal system is the envy of the world. Yet today we are seeing the impartiality of the system threatened by political pressure. Defendants must have the right to explain their motivations when on trial; and jurors must be allowed to retain their centuries’ old right to follow their conscience after hearing all the evidence.
"Juries are an important safety valve, preventing abuse of the courts by those with an agenda. If juries can no longer perform that function, we are taking a massive step towards authoritarianism. History shows that winning our rights as citizens is a hard and difficult struggle, requiring many heavy sacrifices. Losing our rights, though, simply requires us to sit back and do nothing. I am here because I am not willing to watch our fundamental rights being stripped away."
By displaying their signs, the group could face arrest and imprisonment. In September, the Solicitor General announced he would prosecute 68-year retired social worker, Trudi Warner, for contempt of court, for holding a similar sign outside Inner London Crown Court in March. In October, two young women were arrested by the Met police for doing the same thing.
The national protest comes amid mounting public concern that political trials, such as the trial over the toppling of the statue of the slave-trader Edward Colston into Bristol harbour, are being turned into show trials. It follows a succession of jury acquittals, including that of the Colston 4 in January 2022, that have embarrassed the Government and certain corporate interests. In the Colston case, Suella Braverman, who was Attorney General at the time, decided that the jury of Bristol people had got it wrong, and brought a successful appeal to the Court of Appeal, changing the law.
However, there are strong indications that united, collective action to defend the principle of jury equity is proving effective. Just days after the Solicitor General’s announcement to prosecute Warner, 252 people gathered outside 25 crown courts across England and Wales, holding similar signs in solidarity with her. None were arrested and there has been no indication of a police response since then. An investigation into people previously arrested for displaying posters with the same message has now been discontinued.
The Defend our Juries campaign has gathered powerful support from eminent professors of law, such as Professor Richard Vogler and Professor John Spencer.
