Police Sergeant Recalls 'Shattered Spine' Feeling in Court
A jury at Woolwich Crown Court has heard that a Palestine Action activist allegedly struck a police sergeant with a sledgehammer, fracturing her spine and leaving her unable to work for months. The incident occurred during a reported break-in at the UK site of Israel-based defence firm Elbit Systems in Bristol.
Six activists are standing trial in connection with the alleged attack, which took place in the early hours of 6 August last year. The court was told the group broke into the factory using a prison van, armed with sledgehammers and dressed in red jumpsuits.
The Defendants and Charges
The six individuals facing charges are Charlotte Head, 29; Samuel Corner, 23; Leona Kamio, 30; Fatema Rajwani, 21; Zoe Rogers, 22; and Jordan Devlin, 31. They are charged with aggravated burglary, criminal damage, and violent disorder. Samuel Corner denies a further charge of causing grievous bodily harm to Police Sergeant Kate Evans.
Giving evidence on Monday, PS Evans described the moment she was hit. She told the jury she was on her knees, attempting to arrest a female activist, when she felt a massive blow to her lower back. "I can remember looking up at my colleague – he just had this shocked face on him then I just remember pain in my back," she said.
Bodycam Footage and Officer Testimonies
"It was just a massive shock vibrating through my whole body, a thud on my back," PS Evans continued. "I felt frozen. I was stunned to begin with. I didn't know what it was. I remember looking round and seeing the male with the sledgehammer behind me." She revealed that her immediate thought was that her spine was "shattered".
While PS Evans recalled a single blow, her colleague, Police Constable Peter Adams, testified that he saw Samuel Corner strike her twice on the back. PC Adams told the court, "I remember her screaming in pain and she's fallen to the floor on her back."
The attack left PS Evans with a large bruise and a fractured lumbar spine, requiring three months away from work. Another officer, PC Aaron Buxton, also described being targeted. He said a blonde male swung a sledgehammer at him multiple times, making contact with his right calf and causing considerable pain.
All six defendants were arrested at the factory and deny all charges against them. The trial continues.
