IN A recent speech to the Magistrates Association, the Lord Chancellor, Hailsham, magistrates not to be stingy with the sentences they meted out to offenders. As we go to press we have no means of ascertaining whether Badge, Canham and McDermott, the merry magistrates of Barnet, were present at this gala accasion.
If they were then the residents of Southall had better look out. For the sentences at Barnet Magistrates Court will geteven tougher if that is possible: for the current stipendiary, Edmund McDermott is continuing the judicial SILAS AT Empire, High sentences at will. advised Defence Cook, month 'in prison previous convictions.
Peach number of offensive against black people in this MeDermott • hands out evidence usually ignored. The police, in most cases, is believed. This is British justice. One Asian brother was sentenced to a for *threatening behaviour' by McDermott. He had no more Meanwhile at the Coroner's Court the inquest into the death of Blair been postponed till mid-November. ANL lawyers will try to get a High Court injunction to force the Coroner to accept a jury trial. A witnesses have already drive, IMG, circumstances in which Blair Peach was killed on 23 April in Southall.
While the inquest is postponed the Barnet triais continue. They have begun to attract the attention of some sections of the media, but this is not enough. A real campaign is needed to expose the fake character of these show trials. For every day that passes results in more sentences, more fines, the inhabitants of Southall.
On the legal front we should be considering a writ in the High Court to demand that Badge, Cook, Canham and McDermott are biased and that they be removed from the bench. The mass evidence already accumuiated by defencelawyersis a sufficient basis for challenging the competence of these Haustrates.
On the campaigning front we have to nationalise the campaign. At the very least we could do the same as was done with the nationwide pickets on 10 in Sonthall defending the this judiciat frame-up are cabing for a picket of Barnet Magistrates Court on bonfires throughout the country. The ANL and organisations supporting it should ensure that they attend with the effigies of the Makesurethat Badge, Cook, Canham and McDermott roast nicely on 5 November. And try and collect money for the Southall Defence Fund in the weeks Asian people can spare a penny for the Guy, they might be persuaded to spare a pound for the defence fund.
trade-union Council, SLATHIN group to send through day Magistrates Court. What this observer will witness will compet him/her to become an activist in the campaign to stop the show-trials.
As the House resumes its sittings write to your local MP demanding that these show trials are stopped and the victims of charges dropped. Start off with that and we'll soon bave more things for vou to do. The same evening thère will be Barnet Magistrates.
preceding 5 November What else can be done? Try and get branch, Trades ЦНО. an observer to sit at the barnet of Commons make sure you 23rd April: 3AZ mainly young Asians, were charged. likely to be jailed if the • In cases heard so far very ter defendants have received legal Expected a acted 1000r costs for the Southall Detence Fund Sond to:
PO Box I51, London WCZ Printed by East End (offset) Ltd P.O. Box 82, London E2
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• 700 SOUTHALL IS INNOCENT TRIALS Southall Detonc Committa SOUTHALL DEFENCE FUND