ACTIVISTS gathered outside Bournemouth Crown Court to ‘defend jurors’ as part of a nationwide protest.

They gathered to highlight jurors’ rights to acquit a defendant according to their conscience and not from directions by the judge.

In March, Dorset resident and Portland Town Councillor, Giovanna Lewis, was jailed for breaking a crown court judge’s ruling by ‘explaining to the jury why she had taken action’.

She said she was trying to influence the government to prevent deaths from fuel poverty and climate change in the UK and around the world.

Giovanna added: “During my trial I never once heard the jury being told they could base their verdict on either their conscience or conviction, instead being told it was only lawful to base their judgements on legal technicalities.”

Peter Aldous, 77 and a retired ship’s captain, attended the protest on December 4 and said: “The jury system has been the basis of our justice system for centuries.

“Defendants must be allowed to state the whole truth and jurors must be allowed to make a decision based on their conscience. “Politically-inspired judicial prejudice must not be allowed.”

Daniel Glennon, 51, a customer service trainer from Bournemouth said: “I’m taking part in this action because I believe that our legal system should not stop defendants from telling the whole truth in court.

“Jurors should be free to make the decision they feel is right based on the full information.

“I’m here today to deliver a clear message, this will not stand and I’m willing to be arrested to make this point crystal clear.”

Liz Elwick, 71 and a retired nurse from Bournemouth said: “Clearly it’s vital for British citizens to have faith in their legal system and therefore jurors must be allowed to acquit a defendant if their conscience tells them to do so.”