£10k court fund to fight BAE case

Methodist minister Reverend Dan Woodhouse, 29, and Quaker activist Sam Walton, 31, were arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage after gaining access to the Warton site on January 29.

They were chargedon April 27 and are due to appear in court on October 23.

In the hope of drumming up support for their cause, the pair appealed online for help with legal fees, and have so far received more than £10,000 from supporters.

They said: “The Saudi regime are using those planes in their bombing campaign that is devastating Yemen. We had to take action to prevent crimes against humanity.

“We’ve been charged with criminal damage and plead not guilty. We were acting to prevent crimes against humanity and the destroying of homes and vital infrastructure in Yemen.

“One of our friends from Yemen said to us: ‘Your aid to Yemen is useless as long as you’re arming Saudi.’”

A BAE spokesman said: “BAE Systems provides defence equipment, training and support to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under government–to-government agreements with the United Kingdom. The UK operates one of the most stringent export control regimes in the world and our activities in and exports to Saudi are subject to UK government approval and monitoring.”