There's nothing like taking a bit of media hype and hyping it a bit more.
Firstly, The Sunday Times is wrong to describe this as a 'test case'. An appeal, like this one, from an orderly room to the Summary Appeal Court is like an appeal from a magistrates' court to the Crown Court. In other words, decisions of these courts cannot set a legal precedent that is binding upon other courts. Therefore, it ain't a test case.
Secondly, the UK has been a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights since 1951. We even drafted the wording. The Convention has recently been absorbed into English statute law, so that our courts, as well as the European court, can deal with matters under the Convention.
This is The Sunday Times (fast becoming a tabloid in disguise) making mischief out of something pretty trivial. I doubt this Airman's appeal will succeed, as he could have claimed conscientious objection (on religious grounds) through the normal procedure, rather than by going AWOL. Still, we don't know the full circumstances of the case and the man has every right to appeal against his charge, as many service personnel have done before him.
Last edited by Scud-U-Like; 26th May 2003 at 09:18.