Jury discharged in Palestine Action Elbit raid trial

Jury Discharged After 37 Hours in Palestine Action Trial at Old Bailey

Ninoda.com – Judge Patrick Field ended the jury’s deliberations after 37 hours of discussion, discharging the panel in a case involving eight Palestine Action members accused of orchestrating a break-in at a UK defence contractor’s facility.

The trial, which began at the Old Bailey on 22 June, centred on an incursion at the Elbit Systems plant in Filton, close to Bristol, carried out on 6 August 2024. Elbit is the British arm of an Israeli defence company.

What the Prosecution Alleged

The court was told that none of the eight defendants was physically present at the Elbit premises during the break-in itself. Instead, they faced allegations that they had played organisational roles behind the scenes — drawing up an inventory of required gear, conducting site surveys, procuring tools and weapons for use by others, and managing both the execution of the entry and the recording of the event.

All eight were indicted for criminal damage. Each also faced a charge of violent disorder, though William Plastow had already been acquitted of that particular count before the jury was discharged.

The defendants maintained throughout that they had done nothing wrong.

The Eight Accused

The trial named the following individuals:

Ian Sanders, aged 47, resident of Leamington Spa; Aleksandra Herbich, 42, from Brent in north-west London; Teuta Hoxha, 30, of Southwark in south-east London; Sean Middleborough, 34, based in Liverpool; Julija Brigadirova, 34, from Chorlton in Manchester; Hannah Davidson, 53, of Edinburgh; Madeleine Norman, 31, also of Edinburgh; and William Plastow, 35, from Manchester.

What Happens Next

The Crown Prosecution Service must now determine whether it will pursue a retrial. A court hearing has been scheduled for 14 September to resolve the future course of the proceedings.