Pitcairn accused to face British justice

Seven Pitcairn Islanders facing 96 sex charges will be tried under British law on their island next month after losing their latest legal action in Auckland yesterday.

The Pitcairn Court of Appeal, which sat in Auckland under a special act of the New Zealand Parliament, dismissed an appeal by the seven descendants of Bounty mutineer Fletcher Christian. They had claimed a lower Pitcairn court was wrong when it ruled Pitcairn to be subject to British law. The men face charges including rape and indecent assault.