Palestine Action activist who 'fractured police officer's spine with sledgehammer' cleared

Six Palestine Action activists raided Elbit Systems’ Bristol facility on August 6, 2024, by ramming a prison van through the perimeter fence and a loading dock door.

Samuel Corner, Charlotte Head, Leona Kamio, Fatema Rajwani, Zoe Rogers, and Jordan Devlin entered without permission and damaged computers, drones, and other equipment with sledgehammers.

Prosecutors alleged the group swung sledgehammers at security guards, swore at them, whipped them, and sprayed one with a fire extinguisher.

All six admitted the break-in and property destruction but insisted sledgehammers were intended only for equipment, not people.

After a 12-week trial at Woolwich Crown Court, the jury acquitted all defendants of aggravated burglary.

Rajwani, Rogers, and Devlin were found not guilty of violent disorder.

The jury deadlocked on criminal damage charges against all six and on violent disorder charges against Kamio, Corner, and Head.

Corner faced a separate charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Police Sergeant Kate Evans by allegedly striking her spine with a sledgehammer.

No verdict was reached on that count after 36 hours and 34 minutes of deliberation.

The foreman informed the judge no further time would change the outcome.

During deliberations, posters appeared on local bus stops and lampposts advocating “jury equity,” stating jurors can acquit on moral grounds even if the law was broken.

One juror alerted the court to the displays as potential influence attempts.