Trial Concludes Without Verdicts
The trial of four individuals charged with criminal damage at a factory in the West Midlands has ended in a hung jury. The defendants, Iain Evans, Hisham Alkhamesi, Hana Yun-Stevens, and Frank Sherman (also known as Bea Sherman), faced charges related to an incident at the Moog factory near Wolverhampton.
Proceedings at Birmingham Crown Court
After deliberating for over 17 hours across four days, the jury at Birmingham Crown Court was discharged on Thursday after informing the judge they could not reach majority verdicts. High Court judge Mr Justice Wall acknowledged the situation, stating, "Juries don't reach verdicts in every case. These things happen," as he thanked them for their service. The Crown Prosecution Service is now evaluating whether to pursue a retrial. All four defendants have been released on bail until a further hearing scheduled for July 3.
Details of the Incident and Allegations
The defendants admitted to entering the Moog factory in August but maintained that their actions were lawful. Prosecutors, however, argued that the defendants, who believed the factory was part of a supply chain to Israel, had no legal justification for their conduct. The court heard allegations that sections of the factory roof were cut with power tools, potentially exposing machinery to rain damage, and that windows and hundreds of solar panels were also broken. Jurors were tasked with determining each defendant's involvement in the damage and their intent.
Defense Arguments
During their defense, the group asserted that they entered the factory with the aim of disrupting its operations, based on their collective belief that the factory's activities were "criminal."
- Iain Evans, 33, from Saltaire, Shipley, West Yorkshire
- Hisham Alkhamesi, 23, from Burbage, near Hinckley, Leicestershire
- Hana Yun-Stevens, 24, from London
- Frank Sherman, 23, from Ditchling, East Sussex