Overview
- All six defendants pleaded not guilty to one count of burglary and one count of damaging property worth more than £5,000 in connection with the incident at UAV Tactical Systems.
- The break-in at the Braunstone drone factory, which took place on April 24, is said by prosecutors to have targeted the site because of its perceived links to Elbit Systems UK and supply of parts used by Israel.
- Three defendants — Peter Jones, Megan Kennard and Hal Hockney — were released on conditional bail while Seirol Davies, Michael Sackur and Rhae Rivers were remanded in custody after their court appearance.
- Court reporting and prior hearings cite social-media imagery that appears to show an angle grinder being used on the factory roof and a video that claimed responsibility, but those materials form part of the evidence to be tested at trial.
- The case will proceed through a further hearing on December 10 and a six-week trial starting May 17, 2027, in Leicester, and the allegations and motive remain unproven until the full trial examines the evidence.