Bundle of joy for Metric Martyr
March 19, 2002
Sunderland's metric martyr has become a metric father, after his wife gave birth to a 3,790-gram bundle of joy.
North-East fruit seller Steven Thoburn, who was prosecuted by Sunderland Council for selling bananas by the pound, took time out from his battle against metric measurements to announce that his wife Leigh has given birth to a son, Jay Steven Thoburn.
The birth has come just a few weeks after Mr Thoburn lost his High Court challenge to a ruling that he should not sell fruit in imperial measures.
He is now preparing an appeal to the House of Lords, while other members of the Metric Martyrs are going to the European Court of Human Rights to be allowed to use pounds and ounces as well as metric measurements.
Mental image
A statement released by the Metric Martyrs said: ‘Steven and Leigh Thoburn are delighted to announce the birth of Jay Steven Thoburn who weighed in at - as Sunderland Council, the DTI and the European Union would like you to know - 3,790 grams.
‘As probably 99pc of you out there are now scratching your heads as to whether the baby was the size of a small tomato or a three week premature hippopotamus, if we had said 8lb 5oz, then everyone would have understood and created the mental image of the newborn's size.
The campaign is appealing for donations to fund its fight and is now looking to the United States, where imperial measures are in wide use.
Campaign co-ordinator Neil Herron said: ‘Recently a large donation has been made by a New York law firm who have realised the international significance of the case and are very sympathetic, and are looking now to pull in support from dozens more US law firms.’
Quote of the century:
When Tony and Cherie Blair's new son Leo was born his weight was announced in pounds and ounces.
At the time Neil Herron, a former fishmonger, said on TV: 'If it's good enough for him, it's good enough for a haddock!'
Fight against metric conviction continues
February 26, 2002
Greengrocer Steven Thoburn will this week launch a new bid to have his conviction for selling a pound of bananas from his Sunderland stall quashed.
A certificate to seek leave to appeal in the House of Lords will be lodged on Friday, only a week after the High Court in London rejected Mr Thoburn and other Metric Martyrs' claim that a legal loophole gave priority to domestic law over European regulations.
The hearing, expected to take place in the autumn, would be only the first of many more battles through the courts until the five convicted retailers prompting the campaign have their names cleared, said fellow trader Neil Herron.
Despite a likely £100,000 legal bill the campaign has the backing of the British public, he said. ‘These five men have criminal convictions and the country knows it is wrong, just as these traders know it is wrong.’
Mr Thoburn, a 37-year-old father of two of Association Road, Roker, was given a six-months conditional discharge by Sunderland Magistrates last year for selling a pound of bananas at his Southwick store using scales measuring in imperial rather than metric measures.
Scales of justice tip away from Metric Martyr February 19, 2002
Sunderland’s ‘metric martyr’ yesterday suffered a costly defeat at the High Court in his long-running legal battle for the right to trade in pounds and ounces.
Southwick trader Steven Thoburn was convicted in a landmark prosecution brought by Sunderland City Council.
He was prosecuted for using two sets of imperial scales, which did not bear an official stamp, to sell bananas by the pound.
His bid to overturn that conviction in the High Court in London failed yesterday and he could face costs of about £100,000.
Sunderland Council used legislation from the European Commission, which demands using metric rather than imperial measures. Dual priced
The case has become a cause celebre for those fighting against what they see as unnecessary legislation from Europe.
But Lord Justice Laws, sitting with Mr Justice Crane, rejected the claim that domestic law provided a loophole which meant European Union directives requiring goods to be sold in metric units did not apply in England and Wales.
The judges declared that the regulations which introduced metrication were valid and not outside the Government’s powers - as had been claimed.
Mr Thoburn’s friend and fellow Sunderland trader Neil Herron said the decision was the ‘death of democracy’ but that the fight would continue.
Mr Thoburn was found guilty in April last year and given a 12-month conditional discharge.
The charge came after a visit by trading standards officers to his stall in Southwick where they discovered he was using his scales weighing only in imperial measures.
His lawyers say he had the facility to serve in metric and had always dual priced his goods.
Lawyers for Mr Thoburn and four other traders had warned last November that making it ‘a criminal offence to sell a pound of bananas in order to please Brussels’ threatened to cause a ‘deep constitutional crisis’.
They received backing for their anti-metric battle from celebrities including singer Elaine Paige, actor Edward Fox, comedian John Cleese and Lord Tebbit.
A spokesman for Sunderland Council said: ‘We’re pleased the metrication legislation has been clarified at appeal level.
‘In Sunderland trading standards officers have aways acted in a fair and reasonable manner in promoting understanding of metrication requirements.’
Martyrs give prize money January 15, 2002
Metric Martyr Steve Thoburn Metric martyrs Steve Thoburn and Neil Herron have donated prize money won for their tireless campaigning to charity.
Greengrocer Mr Thoburn and fellow trader Mr Herron won the money when they were crowned Campaigners of the Year at a glittering award ceremony in December.
They have now handed the £3,150 cash, ironically paid in 5,000 euros, to cancer charity Cancer BACUP. Gala event
Mr Thoburn, 37, was given a six-month conditional discharge last year after being found guilty of selling a 34p bunch of bananas by the pound. He was supported in his campaign by Mr Herron.
The men won their award at a gala event at le Palais d'Egmont in Brussels, organised by the European Voice.
The pair handed the cheque to the charity's Tonia Page at Mr Thoburn's Sunderland market stall.
They chose the charity because Mr Thoburn lost his father to pancreatic cancer and Mr Herron's wife, Lynn, lost both her parents to cancer.
Mr Thoburn was among five UK traders prosecuted for selling goods by imperial measurements only, instead of offering customers a metric weight equivalent. He is to appeal against his conviction
November 20, 2001
Five 'metric martyrs' from around the UK, including Steve Thoburn from Sunderland, today launched the latest round of their legal battle to continue trading in pounds and ounces.
The five are contesting convictions and court orders and say the 1985 Weights and Measures Act authorises them to continue using imperial weights.
Prosecuting authorities say they are under a duty to use metric measurements, in line with European regulations, after the UK signed up to the European Communities Act of 1972.
Steven Thoburn was fined for selling bananas by the pound at Southwick Market; John Dove, of Camelford, Cornwall, was ordered to pay court costs for selling mackerel at £1.50 a pound; Julian Harman, also of Camelford, was ordered to pay costs for selling Brussels sprouts by the pound; Colin Hunt, of Hackney, east London, was given a 12-month conditional discharge for pricing pumpkins and other vegetables by the pound and Peter Collins, of Sutton, Surrey, had his licence revoked for selling in imperial measures.
The biggest available courtroom in the Royal Courts of Justice in London has been set aside for the hearing, which could last up to five days.
Their cause is backed by celebrities including Elaine Page, Patrick Moore and Edward Fox.
Ironic accolade for Metric Martyr August 23, 2001 The battle against metric measures by Sunderland greengrocer Steven Thoburn has taken a bizarre twist. He has been shortlisted for the title of European of the Year. The Metric Martyr, whose fight against controversial Euro weights and measures laws made headlines around the world, has been named as one of the 50 most influential people in the European Union. The surprise announcement was made by EU newspaper European Voice. Mr Thoburn could now be named one of ten Europeans of the Year at a glittering ceremony in Brussels in December. The Southwick market trader, who is appealing against his conviction for using scales with imperial measurements, said the nomination was 'crazy' but said he was willing to accept the accolade if his supporter Neil Herron was also included.
July 8, 2001 Sunderland fishmonger Neil Herron has sold his busy stall at the city's Park Lane Market to dedicate more of his time to the fight to save pounds and ounces. Mr Herron was heavily involved in supporting the case of Stephen Thoburn, who was prosecuted by Sunderland Council for selling fruit and veg in imperial weights. Mr Thoburn, who used scales which did not comply with the rules for weighing in metric measurements, is appealing against his conviction. He has been joined by four other traders, two in Cornwall and two in London, who have either been prosecuted for selling goods in pounds and ounces or who face prosecution. Mr Herron and other supporters now aim to raise £1m to pay the legal fees of the five traders.
April 30, 2001 Sunderland's Metric Martyr, greengrocer Steven Thoburn, is to appeal against his conviction for selling fruit in pounds and ounces.
The father-of-two, who has a stall in Southwick Market, was given a six-month conditional discharge for breaching Weights and Measures regulations earlier this month. His prosecution was the first of its kind in Britain.
Mr Thoburn, 36, of Association Road, Roker, had denied two charges of using scales which had not been officially approved because they were unable to weigh in metric - a requirement of European law.
His appeal could be heard at the Divisional Court, in London, in the autumn. But it will only go ahead if £500,000 is raised through a fighting fund set up to protect him against legal costs.
The fund, which has received donations from across the world, currently stands at just over £100,000.
You can add your weight to the appeal at www.footrule.org
Decision day for Metric Martyr April 27, 2001 Metric Martyr Steve Thoburn will announce today whether he is to appeal against a conviction for flouting British weights and measures laws by selling bananas by the pound at his stall in Southwick Market. Mr Thoburn, 36, of Association Road, Roker, was given a six-month conditional discharge three weeks after being found guilty of two offences under the 1985 Weights and Measures Act.
April 20, 2001 Sunderland's 'Metric Martyr', Southwick Market greengrocer Steven Thoburn, was back at work this week weighing up the potential cost of an appeal against his conviction for selling fruit and veg by the pound.
Mr Thoburn, 36, of Association Road, Roker, was given a six months conditional discharge for breaching Weights and Measures regulations, the first prosecution of its kind in Britain.
He denied two charges of using scales which had not been officially approved because they were unable to weigh in metric - a requirement of European law - and now has 21 days in which to lodge an appeal.
A fighting fund has been set up to raise cash for an appeal.
'Metric Martyr' considers banana appeal April 11, 2001 Sunderland's 'Metric Martyr', Southwick Market greengrocer Steven Thoburn, was back at work yesterday weighing up the potential costs of an appeal against his conviction for selling fruit and veg by the pound. Mr Thoburn, 36, of Association Road, Roker, was given a six months conditional discharge for breaching Weights and Measures regulations, the first prosecution of its kind in Britain. He denied two charges of using scales which had not been officially approved because they were unable to weigh in metric - a requirement of European law - and now has 21 days in which to lodge an appeal. A fighting fund has been set up to raise cash for an appeal.
Have your say!
Do you have views on this subject? Click on the link below to write to me and share them!
Write to Sue
to cancer charity
Read more:
19-02-02
Fight against metric conviction continues
19-02-02
Scales of justice tip away from Metric Martyr
15-01-02
Martyrs give prize money
to cancer charity
20-11-01
Metric Martyrs back in court
23-08-01
Ironic accolade for Metric Martyr
08-07-01
Metric Martyr fights on
30-04-01
Metric Martyr to appeal
27-04-01
Decision day for Metric Martyr
20-04-01
Metric Martyr found guilty
11-04-01
'Metric Martyr' considers banana appeal
read on
read on
Have your say!
Do you have views on metrication and the Metric Martyr? Click on the link below to write to me and share them!
Write to Sue
read on
Copyright (c) 2000-2001 Sue Kelly