Four people accused of a Palestine Action attack on two Voyager aircraft at RAF Brize Norton face a year-and-a-half wait in prison for their trial, the Old Bailey heard on Friday.
Amy Gardiner-Gibson, 29, Jony Cink, 24, Daniel Jeronymides-Norie, 36, and Lewis Chiaramello, 22, are all charged with conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom, and conspiracy to commit criminal damage.
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb told the four defendants their trial will now be set for January 18, 2027.
“For four young people, that’s an inordinately long time to be kept in custody”, she said, but added that this was the earliest date that a court could scheduled the case.
The judge agreed to hold a review on January 16 next year, to determine if the case can be heard sooner. Defendants are also expected to enter pleas on that date.
Gardiner-Gibson and Cink appeared for the court hearing via a videolink from HMP Bronzefield, while the two co-defendants were in the dock in person.
All four defendants were remanded back into custody to await their trial.
Prosecutor Jonathan Polnay KC told the court the defendants are accused of causing “extensive damage to two aircrafts”, and it is alleged the incident “has a terrorist connection”.
Police said around £7 million worth of damage was done in the incident at the Oxfordshire base on June 20.
The trial is currently scheduled for four weeks, and will be overseen by a High Court judge.
The four defendants were charged after a Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE) investigation.
After this incident, Palestine Action was proscribed as a terrorist group by the UK Government, meaning anyone supporting the organisation in the future would be at risk of criminal prosecution.
MPs supported proscription in a Commons vote of 385 to 26, and an emergency High Court bid to block the move failed.
A fresh challenge to the terror ban on Palestine Action is due to be heard by a judge on Monday.
