History will be made on Monday when a Criminal Court goes into session for the first time ever on the field of the Urdd National Eisteddfod. The Court of Community Rights – organised by Cymdeithas yr Iaith – will be in session at 12.00 Monday 28th May outside the unit of Carmarthenshire County Council on the Eisteddfod field in Carmarthen.

The defendants before the court will be MARK JAMES (Chief Executive Officer, Carmarthenshire Council), VERNON MORGAN (Director of Education), Coun MERYL GRAVELL (Leader of the Council) and Coun MARTIN MORRIS (Leader of the Labour Group).The four will be on trial for fraud, being charged by Cymdeithas yr Iaith with conducting a fraudulent consultation process over the future of Village Schools in the County. The prosecution’s contention will be that the Council had already conspired to sell off the school buildings for financial gain before starting any consultation process over the future of the schools. Such consultation was dishonest to the degree that it was tantamount to fraud.The judge will be Hywel Griffiths (Winner of the Chair at the Urdd National Eisteddfod in Anglesey 2004) who will pronouce the sentence in poetic form. The Prosecution Counsel will be Ffred Ffransis – who will be exchanging his more accustiomed role as a defendant in the dock.Among the Prosecution Witnesses will be MATT DIX (Parent and Governor at Ysgol Mynyddcerrig – due for closure at the end of this term), IOAN HEFIN (Parent and Governor at Ysgol Mynydd-y-Garreg and Secretary of the Carmarthenshire Primary Schools’ Forum.) and MEINIR FFRANSIS (Secretary of the Friends of Ysgol Llanfihangel-ar-arth, which was closed 4 years ago.)We also understand that one of the defendants – Coun Meryl Gravell – will be appearing personally at the Court, in one form or another!