PEACE campaigner and Caerphilly councillor Ray Davies stuck fast to his principles yesterday - and went to prison, rather than pay fines he was given following three anti-war protests.

The 74-year-old Labour councillor was jailed for 28 days by Caerphilly magistrates after refusing steadfastly to pay the £1,300 he owes.

In an interview with the Argus before the hearing, Councillor Davies declared "hell will freeze over" before he would pay the money.

"To pay would be admitting that I was wrong and saying that I am sorry," he said.

"Well, I'm not sorry for what I have done - I would do it all over again. I am quite prepared to go to jail.

"I just wish our government would wake up - Iraq is a far more dangerous place now."

Councillor Davies, of Pandy Road, Bedwas, app-eared in court two days after being deported from an Israeli police cell at Ben Gurion Airport. He had been intending to make one of his regular visits to Palestine with money for charities there.

Representing himself in court, Councillor Davies stated he had no intention of settling the fines and outstanding compensation, and that nothing would persuade him.

The fines were for three protests at: * Aldermaston Atomic Weapons Establishment, in Berkshire, in June 2002, after which he was charged with criminal damage.

* Devonport Naval Docks, in Plymouth, in September 2002, when Councillor Davies rowed a dinghy up the Tamar River in an attempt to enter the docks.

* A blockade of Faslane Nuclear Submarine Base, in Scotland, in April 2004, when he was charged with a breach of the peace.

Councillor Davies said he had paid the amount he considered would cover repairing a fence at Aldermaston, but refused to pay the fines or the rest of the compensation, which amounted to £1,304.50.

"To pay would condone the illegal war by my government, the deaths of more than 100,000 Iraqi civilians, the deaths of 1,000 British and coalition soldiers and the deaths of the three brave Black Watch soldiers who have died this week," he told magistrates. He apologised to the widows and orphans for not doing more to prevent the war from taking place.

Roy Gwinnutt, chairman of the bench, said: "You would have served 45 days but we have reduced that to 28 days.

"There is no other appropriate way to deal with you because of your wilful refusal to pay or to co-operate with the court."