compensation after a long history of prosecution and appeals.

JaVaughn Antoine Sampson and Brian Harvey, both Rastafarians, have filed a writ seeking damages after being drafted into the Regiment in January 1997.

Represented by Kalundra Ratneser of Milligan-Whyte and Smith, the pair are pursuing a case against the Attorney General's Chambers for unlawful imprisonment. They are also seeking compensation after being forced to have their dreadlocks shorn while attending Boot Camp while Mr. Sampson is also suing on the grounds of malicious prosecution.

In January 1997, Mr. Harvey was handcuffed and forced into a chair in the middle of Warwick Camp's parade ground to have his hair cut off. He was then frog-marched to a Regimental cell and locked up for several hours.

But a month later, following a hearing, the Exemption Tribunal permanently deferred both men from service.

There then followed a drawn out legal battle when the Regiment, via Crown prosecutors, pressed disciplinary charges against Mr. Sampson in September 1997 for allegedly disobeying an order to attend parade. He was also charged with four counts of prejudicial conduct for allegedly failing to respond to letters from the Regiment.

In the subsequent hearing in June 1998, the Regiment, represented by Crown Counsel Leighton Rochester, said the offences occurred before Mr. Sampson's exemption.

But the charges were eventually dropped after the Crown said there was insufficient evidence to proceed.

The Regiment subsequently came under fire by presiding magistrate Arthur Hodgson who, in awarding costs to Mr. Sampson, accused the Regiment of "total irresponsibility and a disregard for the rights of the citizen''.

Mr. Hodgson's judgment said: "The power of the state is awesome. An individual who finds himself in confrontation with the state is placed in a precarious position in any circumstance.

"But he should not be penalised in a situation where the state is being vindictive and certainly not from that branch of the state apparatus which is entrusted with the ultimate power to uphold the law.'' But in another twist the Regiment then appealed the costs. Following discussions with the Regiment's Commander-in-Chief Governor Thorold Masefield, Attorney General Elliot Mottley said: "We don't accept the decision -- we are appealing the decision on costs.'' Although that appeal was also later abandoned a final settlement has never been reached.

Three year battle comes to a head after reluctant Regiment recruits issue writ for assault, wrongful imprisonment and malicious prosecution