Relief as 'B52 Two' cleared

5:42pm Wednesday 23rd May 2007

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By The Page Turner »

Peace campaigners who broke into an airbase intending to sabotage US Air Force B-52 bombers have spoken of their relief after avoiding a prison sentence.

Toby Olditch, 38, and Philip Pritchard, 36, denied conspiring to cause criminal damage, as they were trying to prevent 'war crimes'.

They admitted using bolt cutters to cut through a perimeter fence at RAF Fairford, in Gloucestershire, on March 18, 2003, the day before the Iraq war began.

They were cleared by a jury at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday, after the judge advised that the jury did not have to decide the legality of the decision to go to war.

Builder Mr Olditch, pictured left, from Percy Street, East Oxford, said afterwards: "We have been waiting four years for this day. It demonstrates that the law really can come down to reasonableness."

Mr Pritchard, a carpenter from Campbell Road, East Oxford, said: "It's a great relief and a huge vote of confidence for anti-war protesters.

"The worst-case scenario for us would have been prison - but nothing compares to the horror that has been inflicted on innocent Iraqis."

The decision to acquit the two men, known as the B-52 Two, whose defence was that they were acting to prevent a crime, was welcomed by supporters.

Craig Simmons, leader of Oxford's Green group, said their decision to take "peaceful, direct action" was a response to frustration that all previous international pressure to prevent an 'illegal' war had come to nothing.

He added: "Greens everywhere are jumping for joy at this unanimous verdict.

"Toby and Phil are national heroes - they have stood up against a Government hell-bent on death and destruction and won."

The two men intended to damage the planes by clogging their engines, as well as sabotaging the runway, the jury heard.

This week's hearing was a retrial, after the first trial resulted in a hung jury.