Joy was unconfined this week at the home of Stephen Booth, the anarchist jailed for three years, who recently had his name cleared by the High Court. The quiet man from Galgate this week spoke to the Citizen, the first paper in the area to highlight his case, and told how his ordeal had strengthened his resolve... A LANCASTER 'green campaigner' controversially jailed for three years for editing a radical magazine has spoken to the Citizen of his delight at being cleared by the High Court. Stephen Booth, 38, who was described in court as an 'old fashioned anarchist,' is now a free man after a nine month spell behind bars for conspiracy to incite others to commit criminal damage. The three appeal judges described the case against Mr Booth as "fundamentally flawed" and the philosophy graduate and former RAF engineer claims the testing experience had actually re-enforced his belief in alternative politics.

"The police should never have brought the prosecution. I was jailed for nothing more than my beliefs," said Mr Booth, who lives with his wife and teenage son in Galgate.

"The entire cost of getting this case to court, the lengthy trial, the period in jail and the appeal hearing runs into millions. While hospitals and schools struggle for cash it seems in this particular case money was no object. They could have bought every copy of my magazine for just £2,000! I should be angry but I'm overwhelmed by the stupidity of it all.

"There was obviously a policy decision somewhere along the line to make sure we were jailed, whatever the effort or cost. These days environmentalists are seen in certain quarters as the new enemy within."

During the trial it was alleged that Mr Booth, plus two others, incited others to "smash the state" in their 'Green Anarchist' magazine but they all denied the charges. Following a three-month trial they were controversially jailed for three years at Portsmouth Crown Court but were sensationally released on bail earlier this year after serving nine months of their sentence.

"Our case attracted support from all the the world and I think that, at the end of the day, it was all the public support that helped get us released. Index on Censorship and Hilton Dawson were very helpful and it was great to see the Citizen following the case and not just towing the official line. It just shows that, if enough people are willing to take action, then things can change."

Mr Booth, who has written novels explaining his radical beliefs, hopes to bring 'alternative' politics to a wider audience.

He added: "While I was inside I had a letter from someone who lived under the communists in one of the eastern block countries and they said if people in Britain are being jailed for writing magazines then there is little hope for the rest of the world. Britain has a great tradition of alternative, grass roots politics and with issues like genetics and over-development facing us we need to hear all sides of the argument."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.