Steve Thoburn

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Steve Thoburn (1964-March 14, 2004) led a greengrocers' legal battle against having to use the Metric system of measurements.

Thoburn was prosecuted for violating the 1985 UK Weights and Measures Act. He was convicted of two offences under the Weights and Measures Act of using weighing equipment that was not stamped by a Weights and Measures Inspector. The stamps had been obliterated because the scales were not capable of weighing in the metric system and were no longer permitted for commercial use.

A Sunderland greengrocer, Thoburn had his scales seized in July 2000 by British trading standards officials because they were not approved for use.

He was prosecuted for failing to comply with a notice issued previously by Sunderland City Council to convert to metric and imperial measures.[1] This led to his conviction of violating the Weights and Measures Act and he was given a six-month conditional discharge.[2] He then created an organization called the Metric Martyrs with four other greengrocers and appealed to the House of Lords in a two-year battle that they ultimately lost. The other defendants were charged with similar offences, and in one case, of giving short measure.

Thoburn died on March 14, 2004 of heart failure.[3]

On May 9, 2007, an announcement was made[4] that the European Union has recommended that Imperial measures be permitted alongside metric so as not to harm trade with the U.S. It still has to be accepted by the British government.

On July 26, 2007, Philip Davies MP tabled an early day motion (EDM 2028 of the 2006 - 2007 session) calling for the House to pay tribute to Thoburn and support a campaign to award him a posthumous pardon.[5][6]

On September 11, 2007, The European Union abandoned plans to replace traditional imperial weights and measures with metric units[7]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Market man faces scales of justice. news.bbc.co.uk. BBC. Retrieved on 2007-08-06.
  2. ^ Brussels backs down over plans to outlaw pounds and ounces. www.dailymail.co.uk. Daily Mail. Retrieved on 2007-08-06.
  3. ^ Metric Martyr Is Dead. news.sky.com. Sky News. Retrieved on 2007-08-06.
  4. ^ Group claims EU imperial victory. news.bbc.co.uk. BBC. Retrieved on 2007-08-06.
  5. ^ EDM 2028 IMPERIAL MEASURES AND STEVE THOBURN. edmi.parliament.uk. PIMS. Retrieved on 2007-08-06.
  6. ^ MP calls for metric martyr pardon. news.bbc.co.uk. BBC. Retrieved on 2007-08-06.
  7. ^ EU ends 'pointless battle' to make UK metric. timesonline.co.uk. TimesOnline. Retrieved on 2007-09-11.

[edit] External links