Mother of protester says trial wait 'outrageous'
The mother of a man charged in relation to an alleged break-in at the UK site of an Israel-based defence firm has said it is "outrageous" that he faces 21 months in prison before his case goes to trial.
William Plastow, 34, is one of the 'Filton 18' accused of taking part in a Palestine Action protest at an Elbit Systems UK factory in Filton, Bristol last August.
Mr Plastow is still awaiting his trial which is scheduled for April next year. His mum, Jane Plastow, believes it is the longest anyone has been held in prison pre-trial on protest-related charges.
The Judicial Office told the BBC it could not comment on individual cases.
An earlier court hearing was told that during the incident a vehicle was driven into the doors of buildings and two responding police officers and a security guard were injured.
Along with many of the rest of the group, Mr Plastow, from Manchester, is charged with criminal damage, violent disorder and aggravated burglary which he denies.
The Home Office has previously told the BBC: "The CPS has decided that there is sufficient evidence to submit to the court that these offences have a terrorism connection."
However, none of the 18 have been charged with terror offences.
Elbit Systems UK is run separately to Israel-based Elbit Systems.
It previously told the BBC that claims the facilities supply the Israeli military are "completely false".
An Elbit Systems UK spokesperson told the BBC it will not comment on an ongoing legal process.
"I think [for Mr Plastow] there's a great sense of helplessness and hopelessness," Ms Plastow said.
"There have been lots of people locked up as political prisoners in Britain recently, there is Palestine Action and Just Stop Oil - but nobody has been locked up longer than my son and some of his comrades."
Ms Plastow said her son applied for bail, promising the judge that he would stay with his mother and wear an electronic tag.
"We had discussed the most onerous terms, it basically amounted to house arrest," Ms Plastow said.
She said she offered to pay £50,000, from a recent inheritance, but he was denied bail.
"My son has never been violent. It is a gross overreach," Ms Plastow added.
"The idea that at the moment it looks like he will be locked up for 21 months is outrageous."
More news stories for Bristol
Watch the latest Points West
Listen to the latest news for Bristol
Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.
UN expert's concern over activist charges
'My daughter was branded a terrorist'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Sirens over Jordan as Air Force intercepts missiles and drones
Beirut (dpa) — Sirens sounded across parts of Jordan early on Friday as the Royal Jordanian Air Force and air defence systems intercepted multiple missiles and drones that breached the country's airspace, a senior military official said. The state-run PETRA news agency, citing the Jordanian Armed Forces, said the intercepts were based on assessments that threats could enter populated areas, endangering civilians and infrastructure. The military confirmed that its forces remain on high alert, working around the clock to secure Jordan's borders by land, sea and air. It reiterated that no violations of Jordanian airspace will be tolerated. The statement did not mention "Iranian" missiles and drones, but it followed a wave of Israeli airstrikes targeting military and nuclear-related sites across Iran. In response, Iran has vowed retaliation, launching more than 100 drones towards Israel, with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stating that Israel must expect "harsh punishment." Jordan lies along the direct flight path between Iran and Israel, placing it at risk of being caught in the crossfire of regional military activity. The Public Security Directorate has urged citizens to adhere to official safety instructions amid growing regional tensions. Authorities said warning sirens would be activated if missiles or drones entered Jordanian skies, serving as an alert for people to seek immediate shelter. Citizens were also advised to avoid gathering near impact sites or approaching unidentified debris, which could pose additional hazards. Both the military and security authorities emphasized the importance of relying on official sources for information and warned against spreading rumours or false reports.
Yahoo
8 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Israel launches withering attack on Iran, spurring retaliation and fears of all-out war
Israel launched a punishing air campaign on Iran early Friday, killing some of the upper echelons of Iran's military leadership along with parts of its nuclear infrastructure. The strikes prompted swift retaliation with what Israel's military said was an attack involving more than 100 drones, even as Iran vowed it was the first wave of its response. Explosions began to rock Tehran shortly after 3 AM, with blasts reported in the Iranian capital's central, northeastern and northwestern neighborhoods. It was one part of a barrage the Israeli military said had roughly 200 warplanes hitting more than 100 nuclear sites, ballistic missile factories and other military areas across the country, including in Natanz, Kermanshah and Tabriz. Friday's attacks comprised a significant escalation between the two long-time adversaries — raising fears of a full-on regional conflict likely to embroil the U.S. in another Middle Eastern war. 'This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat,' said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a video statement released early Friday. 'This is a clear and present danger to Israel's very survival.' Read more: Israel attacks Iran's capital; blasts rock Tehran The Israeli strikes proved to be a devastating blow to Iran's top military leadership. Iranian state and local media confirmed the death of Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, the Iranian armed forces' chief of staff; Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps; and Maj. Gen. Gholam Ali Rashid, an IRGC commander that heads the army's central headquarters. Also killed were veteran nuclear scientists Fereydoon Abbasi, Abdolhamid Minoucher and Mohammad-Mehdi Tehranchi, according to the semi-official Iranian outlet Press TV. Iranian state media said the attacks on residential areas in Tehran killed a number of civilians, including children. The death toll remained unclear but one resident said her relatives were killed. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the Israeli attacks extended Israel's 'filthy and bloodstained hand to commit a crime in our beloved country.' 'With this crime, the Zionist regime has prepared a bitter and painful fate for itself — and it will undoubtedly face it,' he said, according to a statement released to local media. Videos published on social media depicted fire and visible damage to several residential buildings in Tehran — presumably the homes of officials in the Israeli strikes. Ali, a resident living a few blocks away from one of the targeted sites who gave only his first name to avoid harassment, was praying when he heard huge explosions around him. 'The floor started shaking, so I stopped praying and ran outside,' he said. He ran down the street and found smoke coming out of the second floor of a six-story building, with people shouting on the street. News of the Israeli attack and Iran's retaliation prompted a wave of airspace closures and flight cancellations across the region. Iran, Iraq, Jordan and Israel suspended all flights, while Emirates Airlines said it would cancel flights to Iran, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon. As the Iranian drones winged their way to Israel, Jordan warned citizens to keep indoors and avoid open areas. Later, sirens sounded in the Jordanian capital Amman. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio sought to distance the U.S. from Israel's attacks, describing them "as a unilateral action" that Israal believed was "necessary for its self-defense." Read more: Iran claims without evidence that it took Israeli nuclear files 'We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region,' Rubio said according to a statement released by the White House. 'President Trump and the Administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners. Let me be clear: Iran should not target US interests or personnel." U.S. embassies across the region issued restrictions on movements; in recent days, several embassies evacuated non-essential staff. Hours before the strikes, President Trump said he did not want Israel to attack so as not to impact negotiations. 'I don't want them going in because, I mean, that would blow it,' he said. It was unclear if negotiations would continue. Israel's operation spurred a raft of condemnations from regional countries. Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry denounced the 'heinous Israeli attacks against the brotherly Islamic Republic of Iran.' Oman, the main mediator between the U.S. and Iran in recent months, said the attacks were 'unacceptable and ongoing aggressive behaviour that undermines the foundations of stability in the region,' according to a statement by the country's foreign ministry. In a statement, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for 'maximum restraint' to avoid 'descent into deeper conflict." Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
8 minutes ago
- Yahoo
At least six scientists killed in major Israeli attack on Iran
At least six prominent Iranian scientists and academics were killed in Israeli airstrikes overnight, according to reports from Iran. Among the victims are three professors from the Faculty of Nuclear Engineering at Shahid Beheshti University, the Tasnim news agency reported on Friday. Another nuclear scientist was killed along with his wife, it said. Earlier reports stated that Mohammed Mehdi Tehranji, a physics professor, and Fereydun Abbasi, the former head of Iran's nuclear programme, were also among those killed in the large-scale attack. Israel launched a large-scale overnight airstrike on Iran, targeting more than 100 sites with around 200 fighter jets, according to an Israeli military spokesperson. The operation reportedly included strikes on military and nuclear-related sites across Iran and killed senior military commanders. In response, Iran has vowed retaliation, launching more than 100 drones towards Israel, with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stating that Israel must expect "harsh punishment."
