Prosecutors have formally dropped aggravated burglary charges against eighteen defendants linked to a Palestine Action break-in at an Israeli defence firm's UK facility. This decision follows a jury's acquittal of six other activists for the same offence, which carries a potential life sentence. The development occurred during a case management hearing at Woolwich Crown Court in south London, where the legal proceedings have drawn significant attention.
Acquittals and Dropped Charges
Charlotte Head, 29, Samuel Corner, 23, Leona Kamio, 30, Fatema Rajwani, 21, Zoe Rogers, 22, and Jordan Devlin, 31, were all cleared of aggravated burglary related to the raid on 6 August 2024 at the Elbit Systems factory in Filton, near Bristol. Deanna Heer KC, representing the prosecution, stated that after reconsidering the evidence in light of these verdicts, no evidence would be offered on the aggravated burglary charge for the remaining eighteen defendants.
Retrial on Other Charges
However, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed its intention to seek a retrial for the six acquitted individuals on charges where the jury failed to reach verdicts. These include criminal damage against all defendants, violent disorder allegations against three defendants, and a grievous bodily harm with intent charge against Samuel Corner. The jury had deliberated for over thirty-six hours without reaching consensus on these counts.
Jurors did acquit Rajwani, Rogers, and Devlin of violent disorder, but could not decide on this charge for Head, Corner, and Kamio. None of the six were convicted of any offence, and following the trial, all except Corner were released on conditional bail after approximately eighteen months in custody.
Ongoing Legal Proceedings
The eighteen additional defendants charged in connection with the Elbit raid still face criminal damage charges, with some also accused of violent disorder. Most remain in prison awaiting trial, except for Sean Middlebrough, who absconded while on conditional release from Wandsworth prison in October last year. Bail applications for thirteen of these defendants were scheduled, with some hearings taking place on Wednesday and others set for Friday.
Legal Definitions and Security Measures
Aggravated burglary is defined as committing a burglary while possessing a weapon intended to cause injury or incapacitate. During the trial, it was revealed that the first six defendants carried sledgehammers, though their lawyers argued these were meant for property destruction at the Elbit site, not for harming individuals.
The court hearing on Wednesday was conducted under tight security, with at least two dozen police officers and numerous court security guards stationed around the building. Members of the public attempting to observe the proceedings were initially detained outside the court gates by security personnel, highlighting the heightened tensions surrounding the case.
