The Palestine Action Elbit Four — Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Leona Kamio, and Fatema Zainab Rajwani — are being held in custody on remand after being convicted of criminal damage at an Elbit Systems UK factory in Bristol in May 2026, and now face the prospect of being sentenced as terrorists at a hearing on 12 June 2026. Legal experts say this would be the first time in British legal history that activists convicted of direct action offences face terrorism-linked sentencing.

Who Are the Palestine Action Elbit Four?

The four convicted individuals are Charlotte Head, 30, Samuel Corner, 23, Leona Kamio, 30, and Fatema Zainab Rajwani, 21. All four were members of Palestine Action, an activist organisation that ran a sustained campaign of direct action targeting Elbit Systems UK, an Israeli defence technology company with manufacturing facilities in England. Palestine Action was proscribed — formally designated as a terrorist organisation — by the British government under the Terrorism Act 2000 in July 2025.

Elbit Systems produces equipment including drones and surveillance systems that Palestine Action argued were being used in Israeli military operations in Gaza. The group carried out a series of break-ins and acts of sabotage at Elbit facilities across the UK over several years. The Bristol factory raid in August 2024 led to the most significant criminal proceedings the group has faced to date.

The 2024 Elbit Systems Factory Raid

On 6 August 2024, a group of Palestine Action activists broke into the Elbit Systems UK facility in Filton, Bristol. Prosecutors said the raid caused approximately one million pounds of damage to the factory. During the incident, Samuel Corner struck a police officer with a sledgehammer. Six defendants were charged in relation to the raid. After a lengthy legal process during which the defendants were held on remand for more than 18 months, the case came to trial at Woolwich Crown Court in early 2026.

The Woolwich Crown Court Conviction

On 5 May 2026, a jury at Woolwich Crown Court found Charlotte Head, Leona Kamio, and Fatema Zainab Rajwani guilty of criminal damage. Samuel Corner was found guilty of criminal damage and also of the lesser offence of inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent — the jury acquitted him of the more serious charge of causing GBH with intent. Two other defendants, Jordan Devlin, 31, and Zoe Rogers, 22, were acquitted of all charges.

Following the verdict, the judge denied the four convicted defendants bail. They therefore remain in custody on remand until their sentencing hearing on 12 June 2026. If you need information about visiting someone held in custody, our guide on how to book a prison visit provides full details of the process. You can also read about how to send money to a prisoner on remand.

What Does Terrorism-Linked Sentencing Mean?

The Crown Prosecution Service flagged this case as having a terrorism connection prior to sentencing. This process was kept secret from the jury during the trial, and a reporting restriction prevented UK media from disclosing it to the public. That restriction was lifted on 12 May 2026, allowing the story to be reported for the first time.

If the court finds that a terrorism connection exists, the four activists would be required to serve a greater proportion of their prison sentences before becoming eligible for release. Under standard provisions in England and Wales, most prisoners become eligible for automatic release at the halfway point of their sentence. Those subject to terrorism-related sentencing provisions must serve at least two-thirds of their sentence before they can be considered for release by the Parole Board. This would represent a significant increase in the time each individual would spend in prison. More information about how the Parole Board operates is available in our Parole Board UK guide.

Why Is This Case Controversial?

The case has generated considerable debate across legal, media, and civil liberties circles. The four defendants were not charged with or convicted of any terrorism offence — they were convicted of criminal damage and, in Corner’s case, grievous bodily harm without intent. Critics argue that applying terrorism-linked sentencing to individuals who were not prosecuted as terrorists undermines the principle that defendants should know the full legal framework they face at trial.

Human rights organisations have also raised concerns about the retrospective element of the case. Palestine Action was only proscribed as a terrorist organisation in July 2025 — nearly a year after the August 2024 raid that forms the basis of the convictions. Critics argue that applying a post-proscription framework to conduct that predated proscription raises serious questions about the rule of law. Supporters of the prosecution, including government ministers, argue that the law permits courts to take a terrorism connection into account at sentencing even where the substantive charges are not terrorism-specific, and that the proscription of Palestine Action was justified by the group’s history of serious criminal activity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are the Palestine Action Elbit Four in prison?

The Palestine Action Elbit Four are being held in custody on remand following their conviction at Woolwich Crown Court on 5 May 2026 for criminal damage at an Elbit Systems UK factory in Bristol in August 2024. They were denied bail after their conviction and are awaiting sentencing on 12 June 2026.

Who are the Palestine Action Elbit Four?

They are Charlotte Head, 30, Samuel Corner, 23, Leona Kamio, 30, and Fatema Zainab Rajwani, 21. All four were members of Palestine Action, the activist group proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK government in July 2025.

What does it mean to be sentenced as a terrorist?

If the court finds a terrorism connection to the offences, the four activists would be required to serve at least two thirds of their prison sentences before becoming eligible for consideration for release by the Parole Board. Standard prisoners in England and Wales are usually released automatically at the halfway point of their sentence, meaning the terrorism provisions would substantially extend the time spent in prison.

Were the Palestine Action Elbit Four convicted of terrorism?

No. They were convicted of criminal damage, and in Samuel Corner’s case also of grievous bodily harm without intent. They were not charged with or convicted of any terrorism offence. The terrorism connection is being applied at the sentencing stage by the Crown Prosecution Service, which is the central source of controversy in this case.

When is the Palestine Action sentencing hearing?

The sentencing hearing for the Palestine Action Elbit Four is scheduled for 12 June 2026 at Woolwich Crown Court. At that hearing, the judge will determine whether a terrorism connection exists and what sentence each individual should receive for the offences of which they were convicted.