Group denies causing £1 million of damage in alleged Palestine Action attack
The activists allegedly filmed themselves breaking into Instro Precision in Sandwich in the early hours of June 17, 2024
A group of activists have pleaded not guilty to causing £1 million damage at a factory in Kent allegedly targeted by protest group Palestine Action.
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The activists allegedly filmed themselves breaking into Instro Precision in Sandwich in the early hours of June 17, 2024, throwing stock to the ground and smashing computers with a crowbar, causing damage estimated to be around £1 million.
All but one of the defendants pleaded not guilty to charges of criminal damage to property, aggravated burglary with intent, and violent disorder.
On Friday, nine defendants appeared at the Old Bailey for a plea hearing before Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb.
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The charge alleges that on June 17, 2024, they “without lawful excuse destroyed or damaged property to a value estimated to be over £1 million belonging to Instro Precision Limited, Discovery Park, Sandwich, Kent, intending to destroy or damage such property or being reckless as to whether such property would be destroyed or damaged”.
The defendants allegedly trespassed onto the premises "with intent to do unlawful damage to the said building or anything therein and at the time of committing the said burglary had with you a weapon of offence".
It is further alleged that on June 6 last year, they “threatened unlawful violence” that would “cause a person of reasonable firmness present at the scene to fear for his or her personal safety”.
Instro Precision Ltd describes itself as "one of the leading suppliers and system integrators of support equipment for commercial and military electro-optical sensors."
Its products include night vision goggles, weapon tripods and laser target designators, as well as specialist optics for sniper rifles.
The Kent-based technology company is a subsidiary of Elbit Systems UK, which in turn is a subsidiary of Elbit Systems Ltd - an Israel-based international military technology company and defence contractor.
Elbit Systems has been the focus of several protests by the proscribed group Palestine Action.
They defendents are: Nasser Akhtar, 37, of Crystal Palace; Elliot Wilson, 25 from Liverpool; Maximillian Dixon, 29, of Brockley, south-east London; Nirad Abrol, 25, of Birmingham; Seirol Davies, 30, from Plymouth; Xavi Davies, 21, of Binfield, Berkshire; Eoin O’Meara, 34 of Bristol, Hannah Davidson, 52, of Edinburgh.
A ninth defendant, Julija Brigadirova, 32, from Manchester, was not asked to enter pleas to the same charges.
All the defendants are on bail except Davidson and Brigadirova who appeared by videolink from prison.
The defendants face an eight-week trial from October 5 2026 at the Old Bailey.
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb adjourned the preparatory hearing until February 13.