Four Palestine Action activists jailed for more than 26 years over raid on Israeli-linked defence firm to appeal sentences
The raid by the "Filton Four" left one police officer with a fractured spine and caused an estimated £1.2million worth of damage
Four Palestine Action activists who were jailed for more than 26 years after causing £1.2 million in damage to an Israel-based defence firm’s UK factory are to appeal their sentences.
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Dubbed as the "Filton Four", Charlotte Head, 23, Samuel Corner, 30, Leona Kamio, 30, and Fatema Rajwani, 21, also left one police officer with a fractured spine during the raid.
The group, travelling in an old prison van, crashed into the Elbit Systems site near Bristol during the early hours of August 6, 2024.
Corner was jailed for eight years and eight months, Head and Kamio each got six years, and Rajwani was sentenced to five years and eight months.
But on Thursday morning, their solicitor Simon Natas confirmed that the defendants would be appealing their sentences.
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The judge sitting over the trial at Woolwich Crown Court ruled that the raid amounted to an "act of terrorism", having been carried out to try to influence the UK Government and intimidate a section of the public.
Mr Natas said they will seek permission to appeal against "excessive" sentences, saying a judge was wrong in law to classify their actions as terrorism.
Rajwani and Head were seen breaking down crying after the judge made his ruling.
PC Kate Evans also held back tears as she read out an impact statement, revealing that she had been forced to give up her rank of sergeant after struggling in the aftermath of the attack by Corner.
The officer was helping to detain nursery school teacher Kamio at the Elbit factory when she was struck with a sledgehammer, and she is still having medical treatment nearly two years later.
"The emotional impact of this incident has been profound and ongoing," she said.
"I experience disturbed sleep, often waking in a panicked state or after distressing dreams."
PC Evans also revealed that she had been the target of a hate-filled email from a troll during legal proceedings, including the suggestion she is "working for the Zionist occupation of Britain".
Palestine Action was banned as a terrorist organisation under a Government proscription order in July last year.
But the controversial move was declared unlawful by the High Court in February this year.
Around 500 protesters had gathered outside Woolwich Crown Court before the ruling in support of the defendants and Palestine Action.
More than a hundred were arrested outside the court, on suspicion of supporting Palestine Action.