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| Bid to gain pardons for 'witches' | Bid to gain pardons for 'witches' |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| A petition has been handed in to the Scottish Parliament calling for a pardon for all those convicted under witchcraft legislation. | |
| It is thought some 4,000 people, mainly women, were prosecuted and often put to death for witchcraft. | It is thought some 4,000 people, mainly women, were prosecuted and often put to death for witchcraft. |
| The last Witchcraft Act conviction was in 1944 when Scottish medium Helen Duncan was imprisoned for allegedly disclosing World War II secrets. | The last Witchcraft Act conviction was in 1944 when Scottish medium Helen Duncan was imprisoned for allegedly disclosing World War II secrets. |
| She told a seance a warship had sunk before the news had been released. | She told a seance a warship had sunk before the news had been released. |
| The witchcraft petition came from a group of self-styled "mediums" called Full Moon Investigators. | The witchcraft petition came from a group of self-styled "mediums" called Full Moon Investigators. |
| Seance 'visitation' | Seance 'visitation' |
| The group said many of today's occupations such as herbalism, alternative therapies and midwifery had their roots in the same traditions as the women burnt to death in previous centuries as "witches". | The group said many of today's occupations such as herbalism, alternative therapies and midwifery had their roots in the same traditions as the women burnt to death in previous centuries as "witches". |
| They want the state to apologise and grant those convicted a pardon. | They want the state to apologise and grant those convicted a pardon. |
| This includes Mrs Duncan, who was born in Callander, Perthshire, who they said in particular deserves a pardon. | This includes Mrs Duncan, who was born in Callander, Perthshire, who they said in particular deserves a pardon. |
| She was convicted under the Witchcraft Act of 1735 and spent nine months in Holloway prison in London. | She was convicted under the Witchcraft Act of 1735 and spent nine months in Holloway prison in London. |
| It was claimed that she endangered the war effort by using her powers as a spiritualist or medium to reveal the fact, kept secret, that the ship the HMS Barham had been sunk. | It was claimed that she endangered the war effort by using her powers as a spiritualist or medium to reveal the fact, kept secret, that the ship the HMS Barham had been sunk. |
| When HMS Barham was sunk by a German U-boat in November 1941, Mrs Duncan lived in Portsmouth, the home of the Royal Navy. | When HMS Barham was sunk by a German U-boat in November 1941, Mrs Duncan lived in Portsmouth, the home of the Royal Navy. |
| During a seance, it was claimed that the spirit of a sailor from the stricken ship appeared. | During a seance, it was claimed that the spirit of a sailor from the stricken ship appeared. |
| The vessel was only officially declared lost several months later. | The vessel was only officially declared lost several months later. |