Prosecutors Order Retrial for Elbit Protesters After Jury Deadlock
Prosecutors have formally ordered a retrial against six supporters of the activist group Palestine Action, following a break-in at the defence firm Elbit Systems in Bristol that left a police officer with a fractured spine. The decision comes after a lengthy trial ended with the defendants being cleared of the most serious charge of aggravated burglary, but with the jury unable to reach verdicts on several other allegations.
Jury Deliberations and Verdicts
After deliberating for over 36 hours, jurors at the trial dismissed allegations that Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Leona Kamio, Fatema Rajwani, Zoe Rogers, and Jordan Devlin used or threatened unlawful violence during the raid in the early hours of August 6, 2024. They were also cleared of using sledgehammers as weapons after a prison van was driven into the factory. Additionally, Ms Rajwani, Ms Rogers, and Mr Devlin were found not guilty of violent disorder.
However, the jury could not reach a verdict on charges of criminal damage against all six defendants. Mr Corner faced a further charge of causing grievousous bodily harm to Police Sergeant Kate Evans, which he denied, but no verdict was reached on this allegation either. Similarly, no verdict was returned on a charge of violent disorder against Ms Head, Mr Corner, and Ms Kamio.
Prosecution's Decision and Dropped Charges
Prosecutor Deanna Heer KC confirmed in court that a retrial would be pursued on all charges where no verdict was reached. This includes criminal damage against all defendants, violent disorder for three defendants, and the grievous bodily harm allegation against Mr Corner. Ms Heer stated, 'As we indicated at the end of the trial, we now confirm the prosecution intention to seek a retrial in respect of all those allegations which no verdict was returned by the jury.'
In a related development, the prosecution has dropped aggravated burglary charges against 18 further defendants accused of involvement in the Elbit raid. Ms Heer explained, 'The prosecution has reconsidered the sufficiency of the evidence, and for all the defendants the prosecution offers no evidence on the count of aggravated burglary.'
Injuries and Courtroom Controversy
During the trial, Police Sergeant Kate Evans testified that she believed her spine had been 'shattered' when she was struck on her lower back while arresting a female activist. The blow resulted in a fracture to her lumbar spine and a large bruise, leaving her unable to return to work for three months.
Stephen Parkinson, the Director of Public Prosecutions, later criticised perceived attempts by the group's supporters to influence jurors. Demonstrations were held outside the south-east London court, and posters were placed on bus stops and lampposts near the building with messages such as 'The jury decide not the judge' and 'Jurors can give a not guilty verdict even when they believe a defendant has broken the law.'
Defendants' Testimony and Motivations
All defendants except Mr Devlin gave evidence, admitting they had entered the property without permission and damaged Elbit's equipment, including computers and drones. They claimed the sledgehammers were intended solely for destroying property and that they had not planned to use violent action. Rajiv Menon KC, defending, argued the group had not expected security guards to enter the factory and were 'completely out of their depth.'
The trial also heard that the defendants 'genuinely believed' their demonstration at the factory would help the Palestinian cause in Gaza. The retrial is set to address the unresolved charges, with the prosecution reaffirming its commitment to pursuing justice in this high-profile case.
