Alleged pro-Palestine protesters in court hearing

The site near Wolverhampton was broken into in August

Four alleged pro-Palestine protesters have appeared at the Old Bailey accused of causing more than £1m of damage after breaking into a defence manufacturer's factory.

Iain Evans, 32; Hisham Alkhamesi, 22; Bea Sherman, 22; and Hana Yun Stevens, 23, appeared by videolink from custody for a preliminary hearing on Friday morning.

They are each charged with a single count of criminal damage on 26 August.

It is alleged they "destroyed or damaged property to a value estimated to be over £1m belonging to Moog Inc" in Pendeford, near Wolverhampton, without lawful excuse.

The two men and two women spoke to confirm their identities before Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb set a timetable for the case.

A plea and trial preparation hearing is due for the Old Bailey on 13 February.

A provisional three-week trial has been set for Birmingham Crown Court from 8 June 2026 before a High Court judge.

Evans, from Shipley, West Yorkshire; Alkhamesi, of Hinckley, Lincolnshire; Sherman, of Hassocks, West Sussex; and Stevens, of south-west London, were remanded into custody.

It is alleged that members of a group, named online as Palestinian Martyrs, broke in and got on to the roof of the Moog Aircraft Group factory at 03:50 BST on 26 August.

Significant damage was caused to a number of skylights and solar panels, Staffordshire Police said.

Social media posts at the time of the break-in claimed Moog was supplying aircraft parts fitted to fighter jets used by the Israeli military.