Three activists have been locked up for wrecking a defence company’s property in West Yorkshire. A fourth awaits sentencing.
Deliberate Destruction at Teledyne Defence and Space
Najam Shah, Julian Gao, Ruby Hamill, and Daniel Jones were found guilty of property damage and possession of tools with intent to destroy following a Bradford Crown Court trial in February. They spent over 16 hours smashing up the Teledyne Defence and Space site using sledgehammers, crowbars, and fire extinguishers. The damage was extensive.
Sentences Announced
On Friday 24 April, Shah, Gao, and Jones were each sentenced to 20 months behind bars. Hamill missed the hearing and will be sentenced later.
Prosecutor Condemns ‘Reckless’ Rampage
Julian Briggs, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS Yorkshire and Humberside, blasted the offenders’ “reckless disregard” for property and public safety.
“Najam Shah, Julian Gao, Ruby Hamill, and Daniel Jones spent over sixteen hours on the roof of Teledyne Defence and Space, systematically damaging it with sledgehammers, crowbars, and fire extinguishers,” Briggs said. “This was not a spontaneous act. They arrived equipped, prepared, and determined to cause as much damage as possible.” “Their reckless disregard for public and private property has come at a combined cost of hundreds of thousands of pounds to the taxpayer and a local employer. It also wasted the precious time of emergency services.” “It is not a criminal offence to express political views. However, the evidence we presented to the jury at trial clearly demonstrated that the actions of these four firmly crossed the line into criminality.” “Attacks on workplaces place emergency services under unnecessary strain and leave workers feeling unsafe. We will always prosecute whenever individuals cause serious damage to property in this way.”
