WILL THE MAGNA CARTA SUPPORT HIS TRIAL?

A man who tried steal an original copy of the 1215 Magna Carta, one of the most important documents in the history of democracy, from Salisbury cathedral has been found guilty of criminal damage and attempted theft. Mark Royden, 47, set off a fire alarm in the cathedral cloisters, then hit the glass case with a hammer, damaging it to the tune of £14,000 ($24,000). Failing to break through the safety glass, he attempted to run out of the cathedral but was grabbed by maintenance workers and visitors. The parchment, one of only four surviving original copies, was not damaged. The Magna Carta is a charter of citizens’ rights, which, among other things, guarantees the right to a fair trial.