Chris Baldwin Address Etc

[shug]

Thanks for the court report Eddie, saved me doing it, more to the point - thanks for speaking up in court - I'm sure it helped.

Mr Chris Baldwin

JC 9521

HMP Highdown

Downview Road

Sutton

Surrey

SM2 5PJ

Please send postcards & messages of support - we have produced this image to print out onto postcards:

Edited January 12, 2004 by shug

[shug]

Pubdate: Sat, 10 Jan 2004

Source: Times, The (UK)

Copyright: 2004 Times Newspapers Ltd

Contact: letters@thetimes.co.uk

Website: http://www.the-times.co.uk/

DRUGS CAFE CASE

A man who ran a cannabis cafe in Worthing was jailed for six months.

Chris Baldwin, 53, admitted permitting premises to be used for the

supply of cannabis. Chichester Crown Court was told of his previous

drugs convictions. He admitted being in breach of a suspended sentence.

[shug]

To: chatlist@lca-uk.org,endorseelist@lca-uk.org

Subject: [endorseelist] Re: [chatlist] FWD: direct action for chris baldwin

I think that some things the judge said about Chris should be used in letters

to MP's press etc and there should be plenty of them, but I am pretty sure that

any attempt to hassle HMP Governor will result in Chris being moved further

from home. That is how the bastards try to grind one down and there is little

anyone can do about it.

Here are some words that the Judge (Judge Sessions - where do they get those

names and those lovely grey wigs that they value so much?)

Honest

sincere

severe medical condition

genuine belief in help from cannabis and that cannabis law is wrong

political campaigner

no money making motives

- cafe managed in orderly manner, no nuisance, age restrictions enforced, no

hard drugs, no alcohol, no drunkards

plus of course as we all know: no victims

Another point:

The judge suggested that his hands were tied and he had to bring in the

suspended sentence although he reduced this to one third (6 months) because he

said that the sentences would be reduced this after reclassification (no need

for anyone to comment on that please). This suggests beyond doubt that Chris

was sent to prison in the interests of law, not justice, and not public.

I would encourage everyone to write and keep writing to national press and

Worthing press - you can find addresses at

www.ccguide.org.uk/e_press.html

and please remember every day that Chris is locked up could be another card or

message of support from you and your friends.

I see little point in starting another petition as the level of support for

those we already have is so slow and, basically, quite pathetic

Alun

[shug]

FWD:

Letter to The Editor, The Argus

> Alun Buffry

> PO Box 198

> Norwich

> NR3 3WB

> Tel: 01603 442215

>

> Sirs,

>

> I recently attended the sentencing of Chris Baldwin et al at Chichester

Crown

> Court (The Argus, "Pro-Cannabis Trader Jailed", Jan 10).

>

> The points made by His Honour Judge Sessions were not mentioned in your

report

> but perhaps I understand why as I was very confused that Mr Baldwin was

being

> sent to prison after what amounted to a glowing summation of Chris's

character.

>

>

> The Judge described him as "honest", "sincere", with a "genuine belief in

his

> medical need for cannabis after 30 years of suffering ... and honest

commitment

> to trying to persuade the Government to change the law". He said that the

> cannabis cafes managed by Mr Baldwin were run with strict rules (age

> restrictions, no alcohol or hard drugs) and caused no nuisance to locals,

and

> that the cafes were established as apolitical tactic rather money-making.

> Judge Sessions also referred to the other two up for sentencing (Winston

> Matthews and Mark Benson) as sincere with a genuine belief in the

medicinal

> value of cannabis for their pain and they were given suspended sentences

and

> curfew respectively.

>

> However, Mr Baldwin was already on a suspended sentence for previous

victimless

> cannabis offences and it certainly appeared to me that the Judge felt that

his

> hands were tied by the law and he was forced to bring that sentence into

> effect, although reducing it.

>

> That just about sums up the case - the interests of the law are apparently

> above the interests of the public and of Justice.

>

> How can it be just to send to prison an honest and sincere crippled man

who not

> only has no victims to his so-called crimes, but has a massive amount of

> support from those in pain who he helped gain some relief beyond that

provided

> by conventional pharmaceutical drugs?

>

> There is certainly something wrong not only with the law against cannabis

but

> with the legal system in general, when law comes before justice

>

> Alun Buffry BSc, Dip Com (Open), LCA

>

>

>

[shug]

----- Original Message -----

From: Sarah Chalk

Subject: Evening Argus Monday 12th January 2004

FOOD STRIKE BY JAIL PROTESTER

A jailed cannabis cafe owner has gone on hunger strike in protest at his prison diet.

Chris Baldwin, 53, a vegan, is refusing to eat the diet provided at HMP High Down, in Sutton, Surrey, because he is not convinced that the food is free of animal products.

He has pledged to refuse food and water until the prison proves his meals are vegan.

The cannabis campaigner was jailed for six months on Friday after pleading guilty to allowing people to smoke cannabis at a property on November 27, 2002, and possessing cannabis with intent to supply on May 20, last year.

Baldwin was arrested after police raided his notorious Dutch-style cafe. the Quantum Leaf in Worthing.

The prisoner, who suffers from spastic paraplegia phoned his friend and home carer Trevor Scott, of Carnegie Close, Worthing, yesterday to say he would starve in his cell until appropriate vegan cuisine was provided.

Mr Scott, who has looked after Baldwin for more than ten years, said he was worried the campaigner would damage his health.

Mr Scott said: "He told me he could not eat the vegan food given and he's refusing food and water until the prison authorities listen to him. I called the prison and they said inmates get what they are given and put the phone down. It's really unfair. He's a fussy eater. A lot of people are. Even toast with vegan spread would be fine but he would have to know that the spread didn't have animal produce in it - that's his prerogative as a human being."

Sarah Chalk, of the Legalise Cannabis Alliance, said: "We're feeling that he should not be in prison in the first place for a cannabis crime. It's appalling that he was not provided for when he arrived. Bearing in mind that he is a disabled man and needs more caring than a normal prisoner, the prison should have addressed his needs straight away."

High Down Assistant Governor Charlotte Millar said: "A prisoner has complained about the availability of vegan meals. High Down currently holds 750 prisoners of which approximately five are recorded as vegan. But there is a wide-ranging menu selection for prisoners which caters for many forms of diet, including vegetarian, vegan, halal and kosher amongst others. The meals conforming to these diet requirements are clearly marked on the menu selection sheet provided to prisoners each week."

Ms Millar said new prisoners are asked about their dietary requirements on arrival and Baldwin was offered a cold vegan meal and fruit but refused to eat it.

------------

[shug]

Subject: UK: Crusade for legal drugs

Source: The Argus, Worthing

Author: Huw Borland

Date: 12 jan 2004

---

CHRIS Baldwin, who stood as a candidate for East Worthing and Shoreham in the 2001 general election, has been a passionate campaigner for the legalisation of cannabis. His efforts led to the opening of a Dutch-style coffee shop, selling herbal marijuana and cannabis resin. He gave the Argus an exclusive interview before he was jailed on Friday for drug offences. HUW BORLAND reports.

The legalisation of cannabis has been debated by medical researchers and politicians for decades.

Pro-cannabis campaigners insist it can give effective relief for a range of physical and mental conditions with minimal side effects.

Opponents argue that smoking cannabis can lead to stronger, more addictive drugs and have a damaging effect on the psyche.

Chris Baldwin, of Carnegie Close, Worthing, had been using marijuana for about 30 years when he won 920 votes for the Legalise Cannabis Alliance (LCA) in the 2001 General Election.

Baldwin, 53, suffers from spastic paraplegia, uses crutches, and says using cannabis helped to combat debilitating leg spasms.

To further promote cannabis being legalised, especially for medical reasons, Baldwin took a step which would spur a series of police raids, spark threats from drug dealers and put him in prison for six months.

He leased a property in Rowlands Road, Worthing, and opened a Dutch-style coffee shop called the Quantum Leaf in the summer of 2002.

Set behind a pot smoking paraphernalia store called Bongchuffa, the café sold 13 types of marijuana, hash cakes and ready-rolled joints, as well as sandwiches and soft drinks.

Baldwin said: Id been to Holland but opening a cannabis café here in Britain was pure fantasy.

Then I got invited to do a five-day course to teach you how to manage a coffee shop.

The LCA had nothing to do with it. A coffee shop owner called Nol Van Schaik paid for the course because he thought cannabis should not be illegal.

Id written hundreds of letters to the Home Office went to every pro-cannabis rally, march and meeting and lobbied Parliament.

I felt a coffee shop was at the sharp end of the political campaign.

Baldwins café was first raided by police on November 27, 2002 just a few weeks after it opened.

An estimated £2000 worth of cannabis and more than £4000 in cash was seized by officers. After the raid, customer numbers doubled and some residents complained of the queues of people waiting for the café to open.

Chief Inspector Russ Whitfield, police commander for Worthing district, said cannabis cafes were earning thousands of pounds every week and were devoid of any political stance.

Baldwin opened another coffee shop called Buddys in Broughton Road, East Worthing, and concerned homeowners demanded a police crackdown.

Baldwin said:Id say the response to the cafes was mostly pretty good.

Some people felt uncomfortable but that was more due to a lack of understanding.

Once we were taking up so much of police resources, we could not be justified and so we had to close. Police were pressing charges.

Im aware from the support I have that jailing me could make me a martyr.

I did not set out to achieve martyrdom. I dont see myself that way but putting me away will naturally create one.

During the five-month period the cafes were open, drug dealers in Worthing were losing customers and their violent threats forced Baldwin to enlist doormen for the cafes.

They enforced strict policies of no under 18s, no alcohol and no hard drugs.

Baldwin said: The threats scared me. That was the first time I had thoughts of giving it up. People were going to get hurt. We got burgled on three occasions.

He denied the cafes made thousands of pounds in profits. Instead, much of the money drained away as a result of giving free drugs to disability sufferers, running homeless charity events, police seizures and stashes of cannabis regularly being ripped offby volunteers.

He said: If I started again Id be a little more boss-like. But it was a family thing I created. The whole thing was a community project.

Former Metropolitan police Detective Chief Superintendent Edward Ellison had met Baldwin at LCA marches and spoke as a character witness for him during his trial.

He said: I would trust him (Baldwin) with looking after my children but if I wanted to look after a business, Id probably go to my children first.

On Friday Baldwin was jailed for six months for allowing cannabis to be used at a property, cannabis possession with intent to supply and possession of cannabis.

Judge John Sessions said his sentence was reduced because of the forthcoming reclassification of marijuana.

On January 29, it will become a class C drug, which means possession of cannabis will no longer be an arrestable offence.

Maximum penalties for Baldwins crimes will be reduced from 14 years to five years.

Baldwin said: Do the voters of East Worthing, I will be back for the next election unless I die and my colleague Sarah Chalk will be standing for the West Worthing seat-well be covering the whole of Worthing.

After Baldwin was jailed, tearful cannabis campaigner Ms Chalk spoke of her outrage.

She said: Chris has helped so many people and hes repaid by being sent to prison. I think it is an absolute disgrace.

It goes to show how the law of this country desperately, desperately, desperately needs changing.

[shug]

To: News

Subject: UK: Cannabis editorial

Source: The Argus, Worthing

Author: Leader

Date: 12 jan 2004

---

CAMPAIGNERS say smoking cannabis is a harmless activity which has less of an impact on society than alcohol.

Opponents say the drug can lead to mental health problems, such as schizophrenia, and inevitably leads the user to harder narcotics.

It is true his management of the Quantum Leaf café quite simply broke the law. The class B drug was readily available at the Worthing store, he was caught with large amounts of cannabis and police had gathered a wealth of evidence to prove it.

But even the trial judge said he was reluctant to jail him. Judge John Sessions said releasing Baldwin would make a mockery of the law and so he had no alternative.

When the Home Office reclassifies cannabis later this month, there will be lower penalties for cannabis users and authorities expect many more Dutch-style cafes to open as a result.

This means the courts and police will have to spend many more hours and direct many more resources at closing them down and prosecuting those behind them.

With prisons already overcrowded, the Government may again have to consider if such a punishment is really helping to protect society from what most people would now consider to be a very minor offence.