A police officer was left unable shower and could not return to work for three months after a Palestine Action activist allegedly struck her with a sledgehammer during a break-in at an Israeli defence firm’s UK site, a court has heard.
Six activists are accused of carrying out the attack at Elbit Systems in Bristol on August 6 last year.
They allegedly broke into the factory in a prison van in the early hours, armed with weapons and wearing red jumpsuits.
Charlotte Head, 29, Samuel Corner, 23, Leona Kamio, 30, Fatema Rajwani, 21, Zoe Rogers, 22, and Jordan Devlin, 31, deny all charges of aggravated burglary, criminal damage and violent disorder.
TRENDING
Stories
Videos
Your Say
Corner denies a further charge of causing police sergeant Kate Evans grievous bodily harm.
Sgt Evans told Woolwich Crown Court she thought her spine was “shattered” when she was hit on her lower back while she was on her knees arresting a female activist.
Giving evidence, Sgt Evans told the jury: “I can remember struggling with the handcuffs. The ratchet bit got caught on the clothing, on her red boiler suit.
“Then I remember looking up at my colleague – he just had this shocked face on him then I just remember pain in my back.
Police sergeant Kate Evans was unable to work for three months following the incident
|PA
“It was just a massive shock vibrating through my whole body, a thud on my back. It just extended through my whole body down to my legs. I felt frozen.
“I was stunned to begin with. I didn’t know what it was. I remember looking round and seeing the male with the sledgehammer behind me.”
The court heard that the police officer was left with a large bruise on her back and an X-ray showed there was a fracture to her lumbar spine.
She was left unable to drive, shower, or dress and couldn't return to work for three months, the trial heard.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
The police officer was left 'screaming in pain' following the attack
|PA
Sgt Evans added: “I can remember a million thoughts racing through my head. When I look back, it was almost like I was in a movie and everything happened really fast around me.
“My head’s thinking my spine is shattered at this point.”
The policewoman told the trial she recalls only one blow, but her colleague, police constable Peter Adams, alleged he saw Corner strike her on her back twice.
Pc Adams told the court: “I remember her screaming in pain and she’s fallen to the floor on her back.”
Pc Aaron Buxton also attended the incident and recalled the “blonde male”, who allegedly hit Ms Evans, swinging a sledgehammer at him moments before when he had tackled another activist to the floor.
“I was laid on my back with the male with brown hair on top of me," he told the jury.
"The male with blonde hair turned and walked back towards us. He has swung the sledgehammer multiple times towards me.
“I don’t know how many times he swung it because in the moment I was scared. I believe it made contact with my right calf and my work radio.
“I had quite considerable pain down that area of my leg following it. Also I had slight bruising come up.”
All six defendants were arrested at the factory.
The court heard that Elbit Systems UK manufactures defence technology equipment and is a UK-registered company whose parent company is based in Israel.
The trial continues.
More From GB News