Presteigne: Woman denies part in £1.2m defence firm damage

A woman has denied causing £1.2m worth of damage at a defence firm as part of a political protest, a court was told.

The break-in at Teledyne Labtech in Presteigne, Powys, on 9 December 2022 may have caused a chemical leak, the jury at Caernarfon Crown Court heard.

Ruth Hogg, 39, of Stanley Road, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, denies conspiring to damage property.

The jury was told she and three others unfurled a "Palestine" banner and she drilled holes into the roof.

Ms Hogg, along with two other women and a man, have been charged with the same offence.

The court heard that there had been the potential for the creation of cyanide if chlorine had become mixed with other chemicals at the site.

Elen Owen, prosecuting, said there was also fear of a "thermal runaway" because of the vandalism.

"That could have caused catastrophic results for anyone in the vicinity, a housing estate and school just a matter of metres away," she said.

The prosecution said Teledyne Labtech made printed circuit boards for various uses including MRI scanners, commercial aircraft, satellites and military radar.

The prosecution described how workers had been drinking coffee in the canteen when they heard glass smashing.

At the time 64 staff were employed at the factory on a small industrial estate.

The jury heard paint had been sprayed on walls and the floor, office equipment was destroyed and orange smoke grenades detonated.

The jury was also told Ms Hogg and another man were on the roof when an angle grinder was used to try to cut through the roof and skylights were smashed, raining glass onto the floor below.

"Fortunately there was nobody in that room when that happened," said Ms Owen.

A police helicopter sent from the Bristol area had filmed Ms Hogg with a cordless drill "indiscriminately drilling holes in the roof", and "smashing a long line of windows with a crowbar," added Ms Owen.

The trial continues.