CPS to appeal decision to dismiss charges against protesters who attempted to shut down DSEI arms fair

A judge at Stratford Crown Court ruled in April that there was ‘compelling’ evidence that illegal weapons were on sale and that the protesters had arguably been acting to prevent a more serious crime from occurring

Activists from Stop The Arms Fair protested outside the Excel Centre ahead of the DSEI exhibition in September last year (Rex)

The Crown Prosecution Service is to appeal a court decision that saw charges against protesters dismissed on the basis that there was evidence of illegal arms sales at the arms fair they were trying to shut down.

The eight protesters admitted blocking a road to stop military and other vehicles arriving at the Defence Systems and Equipment International (DSEI) exhibition in London’s Docklands in September 2015.

A judge at Stratford Crown Court ruled in April that there was “compelling” evidence that illegal weapons were on sale at the biannual arms fair, the world’s largest, and that the protesters had arguably been acting to prevent a more serious crime from occurring.

Following the judgment, The Independent reported that a cross-party committee of MPs will now investigate the allegations that illegal weapons are on sale as part of their inquiry into the arms market in the UK.

But prosecutors have now submitted a motion to take the case to the High Court to overturn the judgment, according to Campaign Against the Arms Trade, which is working with the protesters.

DSEI, the world's biggest arms fair, is held in London's Docklands every two years (Getty)

Raj Chada, of Hodge Jones & Allen solicitors, one of the lawyers involved in the defence, said it was “hugely disappointing” that the CPS was trying to re-open the case.

He said authorities should instead be launching an investigation into the allegations of illegal arms sales at DSEI.

In a joint public statement, the defendants’ campaign said: “We absolutely stand by our actions at the DSEI arms fair in seeking to prevent corporate and state support for torture and the mass indiscriminate killing of civilians. Our actions have continued to show where the interests of money and power truly lie.

“The state has invested a prolific amount of time and public money seeking to prosecute us. Many of us feel that perhaps if the state had chosen to focus their resources on those selling killing machines and torture weapons to human rights abusers, then we would see some of the arms dealers in court, instead of those who are trying to prevent some of the vilest crimes including torture and war crimes.“

A spokesperson for the CPS told The Independent: “The process of an appeal in this case is at a very early stage. It would be inappropriate to discuss grounds for an appeal until it has been concluded.”

A spokesperson for DSEI said in a statement after the initial judgment that it complies with arms export control rules and that it gives authorities full access to its operations.