“ALLEGATIONS of a scheme to destroy with explosives road and rail bridges, electricity pylons, and St Andrew’s House, Edinburgh, were heard in Edinburgh High Court yesterday when four young men appeared on trial charged with conspiring to overthrow the Government in Scotland.”

Thus the Glasgow Herald, of November 18, 1953, on the opening day of the trial of four men in their 20s. The indictment alleged that they had conspired to further by criminal means “an association of persons known as the Scottish Republican Army, or some association unknown,” with the aim of forcing London to set up a separate government in Scotland, or with the intention of overthrowing HM government in Scotland. It was further alleged that they obtained possession of some gelignite and three automatic pistols, and tried to induce three other men to join the conspiracy. They denied all charges.

One of those three others, the trial heard, was a special constable, who immediately alerted Edinburgh police. One of the four accused said in court that the alleged activities were all part of a “wonderful hoax.” The trial was heavily reported; ultimately, all four were found not guilty of conspiracy but were jailed for one year on an alternative charge of contravening the 1883 Explosive Substances Act.

Wendy Wood, the well-known Scottish nationalist, is pictured here with a Mr Bowie and three of the accused at the start of the trial.