A man accused of blowing up a newly-installed ULEZ camera with an improvised explosive must wait more than a year for his trial.
Kevin Rees, 62, allegedly damaged nearby homes and put people in danger with an attack on an enforcement camera in Willersley Avenue, Sidcup, on December 6 last year.
It is said debris from the camera explosion was sent hurtling into a nearby home and vehicles were also damaged in the blast.
Rees missed his first court hearing after suffering “stroke-like symptoms”, and was absent again when his case came before the Old Bailey on Friday.
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb adjourned the case for a trial at Woolwich crown court starting on January 5.
The court heard a letter on Rees’ health was handed privately to the judge, and he was permitted to be absent from the court hearing.
Rees, of Sidcup, has indicated a not guilty plea to the charge under the Explosive Substances Act 1883.
He is also accused of three charges of weapons possessions, over stun guns allegedly found by police on December 18 last year.
ULEZ expansion to cover Greater London was approved by the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan last year, sparking a wave of protests and bouts of criminal damage aimed at cameras.
“This relates to an explosion on a ULEZ camera installed in Willersley Avenue in Sidcup, a residential street”, prosecutor Peter Ratliff told an earlier hearing.
“The explosion took place at around 6.50pm on December 6 last year.
“In short, the prosecution’s case is it is this defendant who set about causing the explosion.
“The power of the explosion was such that significant damage was caused and serious injury was only averted by good fortune.”
Rees, who is on bail on conditions that he lives at his home and does not join any future ULEZ protests, has been ordered to appear in court for a pre-trial hearing on April 11 next year.
