CANNABIS DEFENDANTS OPT FOR JURY TRIAL

CANNABIS campaigners who are accused of smoking the drug outside Stockport
Police station will face expensive trial by a judge and jury at the crown
court.

The 11 campaigners - including two in wheelchairs - appeared at Stockport
magistrates court yesterday (Tuesday) after they were arrested for
allegedly smoking cannabis outside the police station in Lee Street on
Saturday.

The defendants - ten men and one woman - spoke only to confirm their names
and addresses and to say they wanted to face trial at the crown court.

Prosecutor Wendy Logan told the court the defendants were part of a
campaign to legalise cannabis and were each found in possession of one
cannabis cigarette at Stockport Police station on Saturday.

Magistrates lifted reporting restrictions for the two-minute hearing after
an application by defence solicitor Lesley Herman.

Some campaigners have said they intend to clog the legal system by inviting
arrest and then choosing to go through possibly lengthy crown court trials.

One defendant - Richard Lea, 23, lives in Barrow Meadow, Cheadle Hulme, the
others are from Sussex, Accrington, Bury, Milton Keynes, Manchester, Oldham
and Scotland. They are all accused of possessing cannabis.

One, James Ward, who gave his address as Amsterdam, is accused of supplying
cannabis.

All the defendants were released on unconditional bail and will appear in
court again on January 11.