Two workers took exception to a picket sign erected by strikers that stated "JB Field's men have no balls."

Kevin Hill of RR4 Trenton and John Galambos,34, of Codrington disliked the sign so much, they left work inside the plant, waded into the picket line of women workers and ripped the sign down last summer.

Then they walked their newly seized prize back into the sock manufacturer's Sidney Street plant, plagued by a strike since March of 1998.

Quinte West police learned of the incident and two days later arrested and handcuffed the two men inside the plant. They were charged with theft and uttering threats and paraded to a police car in front of replacement workers and those on the picket line.

In Trenton Provincial Court Tuesday, defence lawyer Robert Graydon contended theft and uttering threat charges should be dismissed because Quinte West police abused their powers of arrest.

"This arrest was highly unreasonable, humiliating and irritating," said Graydon, who said the arrest violated his clients' charter rights.

Judge Stephen Hunter, however, disagreed and allowed the trial to proceed.

But only seconds into trial, the Crown's first witness, striker Lea Reid, was told to step down from the stand after Graydon was pulled aside from his clients.

A video depicting Hill and Galambos tearing down the sign was never shown.

Instead, the trial was halted when both Hill and Galambos "withdrew pleas of not guilty and admitted to the court they were guilty."

Judge Stephen Hunter gave both men a conditional discharge, placed them on 12 months probation and ordered them to pay $100 each to the Victim Witness Co-ordinating Committee program.

Hill and Galambos were also ordered not to associate with Reid or Stacey Rousseau.