A Sussex anti-GM crop campaigner facing prosecution for criminal damage has won a High Court victory to be tried by a jury.

Rowan Tilly, of North Laine, Brighton, said she was "delighted" with the ruling and was ready to stand trial "before 12 ordinary people".

She is one of six anti-GM activists awaiting trial on a charge of causing criminal damage to genetically modified maize near Chester last July.

In a case which could affect other similar prosecutions, three of the campaigners persuaded the High Court the value of the crop damaged was more than £5,000.

People are tried at a magistrates court for damage less than £5,000.

Earlier this year District Judge Dodd, sitting at Prestatyn Magistrates Court, decided the value of the crop was unclear and if it could not be certain the value was below £5,000 the defendants had the right to elect trial by jury.

The GM maize was being grown at Birchfields Farm in a trial being conducted by Aventis Crop Science UK Ltd.

Terry Munyard, for the three campaigners, said there had been a "very large research investment" and estimated the cost of developing GM crops at about £13,924 a hectare.

He said Aventis and the Government valued the results of the trial highly.

Lord Justice Sedley, sitting at the High Court with Mr Justice Gage, yesterday ruled the District Judge was justified in deciding the damaged crop was not worthless.

He said it was unclear if the maize was worth more or less than £5,000.

He added: "In those circumstances he was entirely justified in coming to the conclusion he did.

"That conclusion was that the defendants were entitled to elect summary trial or jury trial."

The other five defendants are: Tiffany Clelland, from Sheffield; Sharyn Locke, from West Yorkshire; Anita Brady, from Wales; Yvonne Davies, from Wales; and Guardian columnist George Monbiot, from Oxford.

The latter three were not involved in yesterday's proceedings.