Man convicted after detonating a home made explosive beside a ULEZ camera in southeast London
A 63-year-old man has been convicted after using a home-made explosive device to destroy a newly installed Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) camera in a residential street in southeast London.
The incident took place on the evening of 6 December 2023 in Willersley Avenue, Sidcup. The court heard that the device was placed next to the camera, the fuse was lit, and the offender ran away moments before the explosion. The blast caused shrapnel to be thrown into nearby cars and homes, and the force was strong enough to shake surrounding properties. No injuries were reported.
The defendant was described in court as a committed opponent of the ULEZ scheme, which charges vehicles that do not meet emissions standards to drive in Greater London. Prosecutors told the jury that analysis of his social media activity showed repeated criticism of the scheme, alongside posts celebrating damage to ULEZ cameras.
Police arrested the man on 18 December 2023. A search of his home uncovered a price list of chemicals that could be used to manufacture explosives, along with two substances he had purchased. Officers also found three home-made stun guns in working order. Such weapons are prohibited under firearms legislation.
At Woolwich Crown Court on 28 January 2026, the jury found him guilty of causing an explosion likely to endanger life or cause serious injury to property, as well as three offences of possessing a prohibited weapon. He will be sentenced at a later date.
Prosecutors relied heavily on CCTV footage to prove the case. Cameras showed the defendant driving from his home to a nearby cul-de-sac shortly before the explosion. Footage then captured a man carrying a bag and walking from the cul-de-sac to Willersley Avenue, where he appeared to locate the damaged camera before lighting the fuse and placing the device beside the junction box. The explosion occurred one minute and 40 seconds later.
Further CCTV showed the man returning to the cul-de-sac around ten minutes after the blast and driving away. Prosecutors told the court this was the same individual throughout and identified him as the defendant.
During police interviews, he denied responsibility and gave an account of his movements that day, claiming he had visited a friend and later walked through a nearby park. However, CCTV evidence contradicted this version, showing he had visited the friend’s address earlier in the day and had not returned that evening. Prosecutors said this demonstrated he had lied about his whereabouts.
The Crown Prosecution Service said the attack went far beyond protest or vandalism, describing it as a deliberate and dangerous act carried out with clear planning in a public place.