Four pro-Palestine protesters accused of causing criminal damage to an aerospace factory are to face a retrial next year.
Prosecutors confirmed on Friday that they intend to re-try Iain Evans, Hisham Alkhamesi, Hana Yun-Stevens and Frank Sherman, also known as Bea Sherman, who all deny acting unlawfully when damage was caused to Moog Wolverhampton Ltd in August last year.
A jury at Birmingham Crown Court failed to reach any verdicts on the defendants last month.
The Crown alleges the four caused criminal damage at the factory in the Pendeford area of Wolverhampton by cutting away sections of roofing using power tools and smashing hundreds of solar panels.
Evans, 33, of Shipley, West Yorkshire; Alkhamesi, 23, of Burbage, Leicestershire; Yun-Stevens, 24, from south-west London, and 23-year-old Sherman, of Ditchling, East Sussex, have all pleaded not guilty to a single count of causing criminal damage to property.
The defendants, who spoke only to confirm their identities, all reappeared at the same court via video link to hear prosecutor Rupert Jones apply for the case to be re-tried.
Prosecutors allege the defendants, who believed the business was involved in the supply chain to Israel, had no lawful excuse to act as they did.
Setting a date for a re-trial expected to last for around five days at a court venue which has yet to be finalised, High Court judge Mr Justice Wall told the accused: “In the case of each of the four defendants, I will extend bail on the same terms as they have been up until today.
“The trial will start on March 8 or very shortly thereafter.”
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