At least 400 people across the UK are being prosecuted for not completing last year’s national census. Many of them refused on grounds of conscience, protesting against the involvement of US arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin in data capture and processing.
On 17 January, Derek Shields, 57, from the Wirral, was found guilty of not completing the census and was fined £75. He has announced that he does not intend to pay the fine.
John Voysey from Herefordshire, who was a conscientious objector during the Second World War, is set to appear in Wrexham magistrates’ court on 1 February.
John Marjoram, mayor of Stroud, is expected to go on trial in early February.
Judith Sambrook will appear at Mold magistrates’ court for a case management hearing on 9 February; she then appears for trial before Wrexham magistrates on 8 March.
Roger Grenville and two other refusers (Huey and Vicky) are to appear at Birmingham magistrates’ court on 2 March.
Deborah Glass-Woodin’s trial at Reading magistrates’ court is set for 14 May.
In Scotland, Barbara Dowling is at Glasgow sheriff court on 26 January for conscientious census refusal. The day before, 25 January, Barbara will be at Dumbarton sheriff court for refusing to pay a fine incurred for blockading Faslane nuclear submarine base.