Samuel Corner, an activist with Palestine Action, has been found guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm on a police sergeant during a raid on a UK facility belonging to Israeli defense company Elbit Systems. The conviction followed a retrial at Woolwich Crown Court on August 6, 2024.

Factory Raid and Damage

The incident involved four activists – Samuel Corner, Charlotte Head, Leona Kamio, and Fatema Rajwani – who breached security at the Elbit Systems factory in Bristol. They used a repurposed prison van as a ‘battering ram’ to gain entry.

Dressed in red boilersuits, the activists vandalized the factory, causing approximately £1 million in damage. They destroyed computers, drones, and other equipment using sledgehammers, crowbars, and red paint.

Attack on Police Sergeant

During a confrontation with security and police, Corner struck Sergeant Kate Evans with a sledgehammer. Sergeant Evans testified that she feared paralysis and a shattered spine as a result of the blow.

While the jury acquitted Corner of grievous bodily harm with intent, they convicted him by a majority of 11 to one of inflicting grievous bodily harm. He claimed he acted after hearing screams and believing security guards were harming someone.

Guilty Verdicts and Acquittals

Charlotte Head, who drove the prison van, and Leona Kamio and Fatema Rajwani were also found guilty of criminal damage after a 14-hour jury deliberation. Two other defendants, Zoe Rogers and Jordan Devlin, were acquitted of criminal damage.

Corner admitted that hitting the officer would have been ‘over the top’ had he considered the consequences, acknowledging she posed no threat to him. He stated his actions were ‘reasonable’ at the time, but ‘completely unreasonable’ in retrospect.

Aftermath and Impact

Sergeant Evans was unable to return to work for three months and continues to experience back pain more than 20 months after the incident. Corner, a former Oxford University student, was described by his grandfather as a ‘gentle soul’ concerned with injustice.

The incident was partially captured on a security guard’s bodyworn camera, showing the officer warning the defendants about committing criminal damage.