A man has been charged following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police into an explosion at a newly installed ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) camera site in Sidcup last December. Kevin Rees, 61, of Harcourt Avenue, Sidcup, faces charges related to causing an explosion likely to endanger life or cause serious injury to property, as well as three counts of possessing a prohibited weapon. He is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday, November 11.
The charges stem from an incident on December 6, 2023, when police were called to Willersley Avenue, Sidcup, at approximately 6:45 p.m. after reports of an explosion at the ULEZ camera site. The investigation was conducted by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, given their expertise in explosive-related incidents.
Detective Chief Superintendent Trevor Lawry, overseeing local policing in Bexley, stated: “We know that this incident caused much concern locally at the time. Local officers have continued to support the investigation team as they have diligently gone about gathering evidence in this case, working closely with the CPS, which has led to these charges being brought. The criminal justice process must now run its course, and I would therefore ask people not to speculate further.”
In connection to the incident, a second man, Stephen Richard Harwood-Stamper, 62, of Broadbridge Heath, Horsham, was also charged with criminal damage to the ULEZ camera on the same day, though the explosion and damage incidents are not currently linked. Harwood-Stamper faces additional charges of using a false plate while driving and is due to appear at Bromley Magistrates’ Court on November 27.
The charges bring closure to an investigation that has raised significant concern in the local Sidcup community. The court proceedings are expected to shed light on the motives and circumstances surrounding the incidents.
