The Filton 6 (re)trial – defendants’ stunning closing speeches
Published
by
Leah Levane
JVL Introduction
These closing speeches are brilliant, moving and powerful explanations by the Filton 6 of what they did and why. The defendants had to make their own closing statements as their barristers faced being imprisoned or fined for contempt of court if they tried to explain to the jury their legal right to ignore the judges instructions and follow their consciences. This is not an unfounded fear as one of their KCs is already facing such a charge for his summing up in the first trial and there would be a risk of contempt charges if we shared any details of that case.
We used to live under the rule of law, we thought we lived in a democracy but we now live under arbitrary government rules if we challenge them.
MC
This article was originally published by Real Media on Wed 29 Apr 2026. Read the original here.
Filton 6 Trial – Defendants’ closing speeches
Defendants decide to dispense with their lawyers and self-represent
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Wooow! Those speeches are so eloquent. This is why we still need juries with people on them who can think for themselves and have a conscience. They would all have seen the Genocide on the TV and hopefully will have already made up their minds.
This is why they want to abolish jury trials.
This is an important post; and the defendants offered impressive defences of their action. What the trial indicates about the parlous state of British justice is depressing.
Please read Real Media’s coverage of the Filton 6 Jury’s questions to the judge while they were deliberating, the nature of the verdicts (2 acquittals, partial wins for the other defendants but depressingly not full wins) – see https://realmedia.press/april-filton-verdict/.
Given the judge’s decisions during the trial, the lack of evidence on seemingly critical issues and the defence lawyers for all but Sam Corner “quitting” before the end of the trial it seems probable (to this non-lawyer) that there would be an appeal against the judge’s conduct and against the verdicts.
The judge has decided against bailing the defendants who are awaiting sentence 12th June. The defence lawyers could appeal against that decision too – though whether the appeal would be heard in time to free the defendants is questionable.