Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Ulez Camera Bombing
A London man received a 15-year prison sentence for detonating explosives at an Ultra Low Emission Zone camera, an act deemed to have a "terrorism connection."
Kevin Rees, 63, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for causing an explosion that damaged property in Sidcup, south-east London, on December 6, 2023. The explosion occurred around 6:45 PM GMT at a Ulez camera on Wellesley Avenue.
The blast sent shrapnel up to 100 meters away, impacting nearby cars and houses, with fragments reaching the exterior of a child's bedroom. Rees, a retired electrical appliance engineer, was convicted in January at Woolwich Crown Court of causing an explosion likely to endanger life.
During his trial, Rees stated his strong opposition to the Ulez scheme and the Mayor of London, Lord Sadiq Khan. The Metropolitan Police reported that Judge Anthony Bate, delivering the sentence at the Old Bailey, determined the offense had a "terrorism connection." This classification led to a more severe sentence and stricter controls upon Rees's release.
"It was miraculous that nobody was killed or seriously injured in the large explosion caused by Rees," said Detective Chief Superintendent James Derham, who leads local policing in the Bexley area. "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."