Two jailed for anti-war graffiti

Helen John and Georgina Smith wrote on Edinburgh High Court

Two elderly women who painted anti-Iraq war slogans on a court building have been jailed at Edinburgh Sheriff Court after refusing alternative punishment.

Helen John, 70, of West Yorkshire, and Georgina Smith, 78, from Argyll, were sentenced to 40 and 45 days respectively for malicious mischief.

The pair refused to pay a fine or undertake community service to avoid prison for their Remembrance Day crime.

Sheriff Richard McFarlane said: "This was clearly premeditated."

John, a council member of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), and Smith daubed slogans including "No Star Wars" and "Ban Cluster Bombs" on the High Court in Edinburgh's Lawnmarket in November 2006.

'Legitimate' protest

The black painted graffiti cost £3,595 to remove.

The pensioners, who have protested together for 25 years, were arrested after a passer-by reported them to police.

They did not deny painting slogans such as "£76bn for genocide" but argued that they had not broken the law as it was a legitimate way to protest.

The pair, who have previous convictions, had previously said they were prepared to go to jail for their actions. They were also ordered to pay £1,500 each in compensation

John told the sheriff: "I still don't consider I have committed any crime."

The women waved and said goodbye to a small number of supporters as they were led out of the dock to the cells.