B R I T I S H
W E I G H T S
&
M E A S U R E S
ASSOCIATION
PRESS RELEASE
Embargoed to 29 December 2000
METRICATION - GOVERNMENT versus THE PEOPLE
91% say NO
On Monday 15 January Mr Steven Thoburn, greengrocer of Sunderland, will appear in court for three days charged with the criminal offence of selling bananas by the pound weight. He faces a fine of £5,000 and possible imprisonment. Sunderland City Council, taking the part of the Government, has prosecuted Mr Thoburn and has retained a top Queen's Counsel supported by a junior barrister.
Mr Thoburn will be defended by his barrister, Mr Michael Shrimpton. His defence is funded by the people. Thousands of supporters have donated their own money to help Mr Thoburn in his plight.
The degree of popular support for Mr Thoburn is shown by an independent opinion poll taken during the weekend of the 15th December by ICM Research on behalf of Abbot Mead Vickers Ltd, the leading advertising agency. The question put to a random sample of 1,000 people was:
"On the 15th January, a greengrocer in Sunderland will appear in court charged with weighing fruit and vegetables in pounds and ounces, rather than EU approved kilos and grams. Do you think he should be prosecuted?"
Steven Thoburn still needs funds to help him pay his court costs. He invites well-wishers to a celebrity fund-raising dinner at the Sunderland Stadium of Light on Saturday 13th January. Apply for tickets from BWMA, or telephone 0191 5226308
(www.metricmartyrs.com)
For further information CONTACT: Mr Vivian Linacre, BWMA Director, 45 Montgomery Street, Edinburgh EH7 5JX (Tel. & FAX: 0131 556 6080)
www.footrule.org
Press release distributed by David Delaney, BWMA Hon Public Relations Officer, Mortimers Cross Mill, Leominster, HR6 9PE,
Tel: 01568 708 820, e-mail dtdelaney@compuserve.com
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