Palestine Action Activist Found Guilty of Grievous Bodily Harm After Sledgehammer Attack on Police Officer

A jury has convicted Samuel Corner, 23, of grievous bodily harm for striking a female police sergeant with a sledgehammer during a Palestine Action raid on an Elbit Systems factory in Filton, near Bristol.

Corner was also found guilty of criminal damage, along with three other activists , Charlotte Head (29), Leona Kamio (30), and Fatema Zainab Rajwani (21). The group caused approximately £1 million in damage to computers, drones, and other equipment during the break-in on 6 August 2024.

What Happened

The activists drove a prison van through the factory gates early in the morning, then used sledgehammers and other tools to smash equipment. When police arrived, Corner struck Sergeant Kate Evans in the back with a sledgehammer while she was on her knees attempting to arrest another protester. The blow fractured her spine.

Body-worn camera footage shown in court captured the incident. Sgt Evans later told the court she feared her spine had “shattered” and that she was paralysed at the time.

In the original trial earlier this year, all six defendants were cleared of the more serious charge of aggravated burglary, but the jury failed to reach verdicts on the criminal damage counts and Corner’s grievous bodily harm charge.

In the retrial at Woolwich Crown Court, Corner claimed he acted to “protect” a co-defendant and believed the strike was necessary at the time. The jury rejected this defence. Zoe Rogers and Jordan Devlin were acquitted of the criminal damage charges.

Sentencing is expected at a later date.

The case has drawn strong reactions, with police organisations previously expressing concerns about officer safety following the first trial’s outcome.