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Four remanded in custody over break-in at RAF base

Zoie O'Brien & Emma Rossiter
BBC News
BBC An aerial view of a Royal Air Force plane which has had red paint sprayed onto it.BBC

Four people have been remanded in custody over a break-in at RAF Brize Norton last month, during which military planes were damaged.

Damage worth £7m was caused to two Voyager aircraft at the Oxfordshire base on 20 June after they were sprayed with red paint.

Four suspects aged between 22 and 35 appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday charged with conspiracy to commit criminal damage, and conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the UK, Counter Terrorism Policing South East said.

A group called Palestine Action said it was behind the incident.

The four people charged over the incident are:

  • Amy Gardiner-Gibson, 29, of no fixed abode
  • Jony Cink, 24, of no fixed abode
  • Daniel Jeronymides-Norie, 35, of London
  • Lewie Chiaramello, 22, of London

All four defendants held hands as they stood before District Judge Daniel Sternberg on Thursday afternoon. They waved to the packed public gallery but only spoke to confirm their names.

No application for bail was made and no pleas have been entered.

As the defendants were led away, there was applause and chants of "free Palestine" from the gallery.

All four will appear before the Central Criminal Court on 18 July at 10:00 BST.

A 41-year-old woman previously arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender was released on bail until 19 September.

Another man was released without charge.

In a statement, police said the Crown Prosecution service will argue in court that the alleged offences had a "terrorist connection".

Since the incident, a security review has been launched across UK military bases.

On Wednesday, MPs voted to ban Palestine Action under anti-terror legislation.

The move passed by 385 votes to 26 after being proposed by the government and is being debated in the House of Lords before it becomes law.

Palestine Action has engaged in activities that have predominantly targeted arms companies since the start of the current war in Gaza.

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