Difference between revisions of "ABC Trial"
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{{event | {{event | ||
|WP=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABC_trial | |WP=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABC_trial | ||
| − | |type=trial | + | |image=ABC_Trial.jpg |
| + | |image_width=200px | ||
| + | |type=criminal trial | ||
|description= | |description= | ||
|start=5 September 1978 | |start=5 September 1978 | ||
|end=17 November 1978 | |end=17 November 1978 | ||
}} | }} | ||
| − | The '''ABC Trial''' was a | + | The '''ABC Trial''' was an official secrets case of 1977-78, when a Labour government prosecuted two journalists and a former soldier for holding an interview, using the [[Official Secrets Act 1911]], a law they had promised to repeal years before. The ABC case (named after the three defendants: [[Crispin Aubrey]], [[John Berry]] and [[Duncan Campbell]]) ended in November 1978, causing grave embarrassment for [[James Callaghan]]'s Labour government.<ref>[http://www.duncancampbell.org/content/biography#panorama "Duncan Campbell biography"]</ref> |
| − | + | ||
| − | One of the prosecution witnesses, an anonymous SIGINT officer referred to as ''Colonel B'' was in fact [[Hugh Johnstone]]. | + | Aubrey was a journalist for ''[[Time Out]]'' magazine, Berry a former corporal in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signals_intelligence Signals Intelligence (SIGINT)], and Campbell an investigative journalist. One of the prosecution witnesses, an anonymous SIGINT officer referred to as ''Colonel B'', was in fact [[Hugh Johnstone]].<ref>[http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/pais/people/moran/classified/abc/ "The ABC Trial"]</ref> |
==Timeline== | ==Timeline== | ||
*18 February 1977: Aubrey and Campbell (the two journalists) interviewed Berry | *18 February 1977: Aubrey and Campbell (the two journalists) interviewed Berry | ||
| − | *20 February 1977: All three men were arrested and charged under | + | *20 February 1977: All three men were arrested and charged under Section 2 of the [[Official Secrets Act 1911]] (Berry was charged with "communicating classified information to unauthorised persons", and Campbell and Aubrey with "unauthorised receipt of classified information") |
| − | *24 May 1977: Further charges were added under | + | *24 May 1977: Further charges were added under Section 1 of the [[Official Secrets Act 1911]] |
| − | *9 August 1977: Additional charge under | + | *9 August 1977: Additional charge under Section 1 against Duncan Campbell, for collecting information |
*November 1977: Committal hearing at Tottenham Magistrates Court. First appearance of Colonel B as a prosecution witness. | *November 1977: Committal hearing at Tottenham Magistrates Court. First appearance of Colonel B as a prosecution witness. | ||
*5 September 1978: Trial opens at the [[Old Bailey]] in front of Mr Justice Willis | *5 September 1978: Trial opens at the [[Old Bailey]] in front of Mr Justice Willis | ||
*18 September 1978: Trial stopped after jury foreman exposed as a former [[SAS]] officer | *18 September 1978: Trial stopped after jury foreman exposed as a former [[SAS]] officer | ||
*3 October 1978: Second trial opens in front of Mr Justice Mars-Jones | *3 October 1978: Second trial opens in front of Mr Justice Mars-Jones | ||
| − | *24 October 1978: All | + | *24 October 1978: All Section 1 charges dropped |
*17 November 1978: Aubrey, Berry and Campbell receive non-custodial sentences | *17 November 1978: Aubrey, Berry and Campbell receive non-custodial sentences | ||
Revision as of 15:30, 4 August 2015
 | |
| Date | 5 September 1978 - 17 November 1978 |
|---|---|
| Type | criminal trial |
The ABC Trial was an official secrets case of 1977-78, when a Labour government prosecuted two journalists and a former soldier for holding an interview, using the Official Secrets Act 1911, a law they had promised to repeal years before. The ABC case (named after the three defendants: Crispin Aubrey, John Berry and Duncan Campbell) ended in November 1978, causing grave embarrassment for James Callaghan's Labour government.[1]
Aubrey was a journalist for Time Out magazine, Berry a former corporal in Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), and Campbell an investigative journalist. One of the prosecution witnesses, an anonymous SIGINT officer referred to as Colonel B, was in fact Hugh Johnstone.[2]
Timeline
- 18 February 1977: Aubrey and Campbell (the two journalists) interviewed Berry
- 20 February 1977: All three men were arrested and charged under Section 2 of the Official Secrets Act 1911 (Berry was charged with "communicating classified information to unauthorised persons", and Campbell and Aubrey with "unauthorised receipt of classified information")
- 24 May 1977: Further charges were added under Section 1 of the Official Secrets Act 1911
- 9 August 1977: Additional charge under Section 1 against Duncan Campbell, for collecting information
- November 1977: Committal hearing at Tottenham Magistrates Court. First appearance of Colonel B as a prosecution witness.
- 5 September 1978: Trial opens at the Old Bailey in front of Mr Justice Willis
- 18 September 1978: Trial stopped after jury foreman exposed as a former SAS officer
- 3 October 1978: Second trial opens in front of Mr Justice Mars-Jones
- 24 October 1978: All Section 1 charges dropped
- 17 November 1978: Aubrey, Berry and Campbell receive non-custodial sentences
References
- Campbell, Duncan (1979). Official Secrecy and British Libertarianism
- Aubrey, Crispin (1981). Who's Watching You? Britain's Security Services & the Official Secrets Act (1st ed.). Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-022283-9.
- Robertson, Geoffrey (1999). The Justice Game, Vintage Books. ISBN 0-09-958191-4
External links
- The ABC Trial via archive.org
- Ferrets or Skunks - Chapter Five from Robertson (1999)
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