Pro-Palestine activists sentenced over protest

The four were sentenced at Bradford Crown Court on Friday

A group of pro-Palestine activists who staged a seven-hour protest on the roof of an aerospace and defence firm has avoided immediate jail sentences.

Earlier this year, the three women and one man were found guilty by a jury of causing almost £60,000 of criminal damage at Teledyne Defence and Space Ltd in Shipley in May 2024.

Sentencing them at Bradford Crown Court on Friday, three of the four were given suspended jail sentences, while the fourth was given a community order.

The judge told them he had taken account of what he said were their genuinely held but misguided conscientious motivations, but warned if they returned to court his "finely balanced decision was likely to be reversed".

At their trial earlier this year, Ricky Southall, 33, Serena Fenton, 57, Amareen Afzal, 33, and Francesca Nadin, 39, were also convicted by the jury of possessing articles with intent to cause criminal damage, while Southall was additionally found guilty of burglary with intent to commit damage.

The protest began in the early hours of 15 May 2024 and did not end for several hours

Bradford Crown Court was told that the group had used a telescopic ladder to access the roof of the Teledyne premises in the early hours of 15 May 2024 and then used various tools, including hammers, chisels and sledgehammers.

The court heard that Southall, of Clarendon Street, Wakefield, had used a cutting tool to make a hole in the roof before he leaned inside and used a long-handled sledgehammer to cause more damage inside the premises.

Southall also lit fire crackers, which he threw inside and outside of the building.

Police had to cordon off the area and fire crews attended with an aerial platform, but the group refused to come down from the roof.

The protest began at about 4:30 BST and the protesters did not come down until about 11:30 BST.

Prosecutor Gerald Hendron referred to a victim impact statement, which revealed a security guard had locked himself in a room because he feared he would be attacked.

Mr Hendron said fear and distress was also caused to other employees at the business.

'Serious criminal offences'

Southall, who had no previous convictions, was sentenced by Judge Christopher Smith to 10 months in jail, suspended for a year, and he must also do 120 hours of unpaid work.

He would also be subject to a trail monitoring requirement for 120 days and must do 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Serena Fenton, 57, of Aire Street, Bradford, was also given a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for a year.

She was told she would also have to do 140 hours unpaid work, comply with 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days and be subject to trail monitoring for 120 days.

Amareen Afzal, 33, of North Hill Road, Leeds, had her nine-month prison term suspended for a year and was told she would be subject to trail monitoring for 120 days and must do 120 hours unpaid work and comply with 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Meanwhile, Francesca Nadin, 39, of Morris Lane, Leeds, was given an 18-month community order after the court heard she had already spent some time remanded in custody and on an electronically monitored curfew.

She was told by the judge she would have to do 120 hours of unpaid work, comply with 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days and be subject to trail monitoring for 120 days.

Passing sentence, Judge Smith said the four had been convicted by the jury of involvement in a concerted effort to seriously damage commercial premises.

"You were seeking to demonstrate your support for the Palestinian people. You sought to do so by committing serious criminal offences," he told them.

The defendants were all greeted by applause and cheers from supporters as they left the courtroom.

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