STORY
Four Palestine Action activists convicted over damage caused at an Elbit Systems UK site near Bristol could face sentencing consequences normally associated with terrorism cases, despite not being convicted of terrorism offences.
Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Leona Kamio and Fatema Rajwani were found guilty of criminal damage after a 2024 break-in at the Elbit Systems UK facility at Aztec West, near Bristol. Prosecutors said the action caused around £1 million of damage to drones and other equipment. Corner was also convicted of grievous bodily harm after a police officer was violently assaulted during the incident.
The Guardian reported that a judge had previously ruled the case had a possible “terrorist connection”, a decision that was not put before the jury during the trial or retrial. The four defendants were not convicted of terrorism charges, but the ruling could still have a major effect when they are sentenced.
If the court treats the offending as terror-connected, the activists could face tougher sentencing conditions, including having to serve a larger proportion of any prison sentence and being subject to long-term notification requirements after release.