In a recent court hearing, it was revealed that a high-powered explosive device was used to detonate a ULEZ camera, resulting in shrapnel being scattered over 100 meters, reaching a child’s bedroom. Kevin Rees, aged 63, is facing accusations of constructing and placing the bomb to obliterate the camera situated on Willersley Avenue in Sidcup, southeast London, on December 6, 2023. The explosive, made from a metal cylinder and detonating powder, had the potential to cause severe harm to individuals in the vicinity.
According to Prosecutor Simon Denison KC, Rees allegedly drove from his residence on Harcourt Avenue and planted the device at the camera location, which had already been toppled by another activist wielding a chainsaw. After lighting the fuse, the bomb exploded when Rees drove away, causing tremors in nearby residences. The explosion propelled shrapnel across the area, damaging a parked van and piercing the door of a passing car, narrowly avoiding injuring its occupant.
Significant damage was also inflicted on a child’s bedroom located 28 meters away from the blast, as the explosion tore through a window blind and scattered debris inside. Fortunately, the room was unoccupied at the time, resulting in no injuries from the broader explosion. A fragment of the camera was propelled over 100 meters, causing harm to a property on Shuttle Close, with Denison emphasizing that it was fortunate no one was harmed.
Denison highlighted that although no injuries were caused by the explosion, it was purely by chance. Witnesses described hearing a loud bang during the explosion, with one witness expressing how intense the noise was. Forensic analysis identified traces of chemicals commonly found in “black powder” explosives, such as those used in fireworks, linking Rees to an interest in homemade explosive materials.
During a search of Rees’ residence, authorities discovered packages containing aluminium powder and iron oxide, which can create a low-explosive substance when combined. Additionally, a document listing chemical prices from June 2011 was found, indicating potential ingredients for homemade explosives. Rees has denied the charges against him, including causing an explosion likely to endanger life or property, and possessing a prohibited weapon. The trial is ongoing.