Retired Engineer Found Guilty of Bombing ULEZ Camera in Residential London Street
A retired electrical appliances engineer has been convicted for detonating a homemade bomb that destroyed an ultra-low emission zone camera in southeast London, causing significant damage to nearby properties and vehicles.
Dangerous Explosion in Residential Area
Kevin Rees, from Sidcup, was found guilty at Woolwich Crown Court on Wednesday of causing an explosion likely to endanger life. The incident occurred on December 6, 2023, at approximately 6:45pm in Willersley Avenue, Sidcup.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the low-sophistication improvised explosive device created a blast radius of approximately 100 metres, damaging multiple cars and properties. Shockingly, the explosion affected a child's bedroom among the damaged properties, highlighting the residential nature of the area where the attack took place.
Targeted Attack on ULEZ Infrastructure
The ULEZ camera had been installed earlier that same day, though it had already been cut down by another individual in an unrelated incident before Rees planted his explosive device. ULEZ cameras enable Transport for London to monitor vehicles entering the zone, where drivers must pay charges based on their vehicle's pollution levels.
Since the ULEZ expansion to cover all London boroughs in 2023, these cameras have frequently been targeted by vandals opposed to the scheme designed to improve London's air quality.
Police Investigation and Additional Charges
Investigators traced Rees's movements from his Sidcup home to Shuttle Close shortly after 6:20pm on the day of the explosion. Police stated that Rees walked from his car to the camera location, planted the device, lit the fuse, and was seen by a witness walking away from the scene.
When officers arrested Rees at his home on December 18, they discovered three homemade stun guns, leading to additional convictions for possessing prohibited weapons. The jury found him guilty on all three weapons charges.
Social Media Evidence and Official Statements
Police examination of Rees's social media activity revealed multiple posts about ULEZ cameras and encouragement for damaging them, providing further context to his motivations.
Detective Superintendent James Derham commented on the case, stating: "It was miraculous that nobody was killed or seriously injured in the large explosion caused by Rees. He showed a complete disregard for the welfare and safety of the people who live in, or were travelling through, the area at the time of the explosion - all because he was unhappy with the ULEZ scheme."
Bethan David, head of the Crown Prosecution Service's counter terrorism division, emphasised the seriousness of the offence: "This was not an act of protest or momentary vandalism. This was a deliberate and dangerous attack involving a home-made explosive device, carried out in a residential street and designed to destroy public infrastructure."
David continued: "Kevin Rees knowingly and intentionally placed an explosive device next to the ULEZ camera, lit the fuse and retreated before the explosion, showing clear planning and an obvious disregard for the safety of others. Whatever his views on the ULEZ scheme, Kevin Rees crossed a serious line by constructing a home-made bomb and detonating it in a public place. It was pure chance that no-one suffered serious injury or worse."
Sentencing and Broader Implications
Rees will be sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court at a later date. The case highlights the extreme measures some individuals have taken in opposition to London's environmental policies, raising concerns about public safety and the protection of infrastructure designed to improve air quality in the capital.
The conviction serves as a stark reminder of the legal consequences facing those who resort to dangerous methods to express dissatisfaction with transport and environmental regulations in London.
