Peace activists' charges dropped

The protestors were due to stand trial on 19 October

Charges against three peace activists who protested about weapons transportation at a Scottish airport have been dropped.

The trio were due to stand trial on 19 October charged with breaching air navigation orders by behaving in an abusive manner at Prestwick Airport.

But the Crown Office said that no further proceedings will be taken.

Officials said that charges had been dropped following further consideration of the available evidence.

Roz Bullen, from Edinburgh, Sylvia Boyes, from Yorkshire, and Kate Holcombe, from Worcestershire, were charged following the incident on 6 August last year.

They were among a group of peace protesters who entered the Ayrshire airport during three consecutive nights of action in August 2006.

Trespassing charges

The activists believed the airport was being used by planes transporting weapons to Lebanon and wanted to highlight the issue.

All 17 people arrested during the three days of protest have now been dealt with by the courts.

Seven other activists were cleared of trespassing charges at Prestwick Airport after a trial at Ayr Sheriff Court in August this year.

They were acquitted after Sheriff John Montgomery found there was no case to answer.

An eighth protester was cleared of aiding and abetting trespass.

Marcus Armstrong, one of the eight, was found guilty of boarding a US military aircraft and sentenced to 28 days in prison.

Five activists were cleared of trespassing at the airport after appearing in court last December.

Another activist, Steven van Elsen, pleaded guilty to entering a restricted zone of Prestwick Airport last August and was fined £200.