Kevin Rees jailed for 15 years after ULEZ camera bombing

Kevin Rees, a 63-year-old retired electrical engineer, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for detonating a homemade bomb against an Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) camera in southeast London. The incident occurred on December 6, 2023, in Sidcup, where Rees used a metal cylinder filled with explosive powder to destroy the device.

The explosion caused significant damage to vehicles and properties within a 100-meter radius, including impacting the area near a child's bedroom. Detective Chief Superintendent James Derham noted it was ‘miraculous’ that no one was killed or seriously injured.

During the trial at Woolwich Crown Court, it was revealed that Rees opposed the ULEZ expansion and the policies of London Mayor Sadiq Khan. Judge Anthony Bate ruled that the crime had a ‘terrorism connection,’ leading to a more severe sentence and strict post-release controls. Investigators found that Rees had used aluminum powder and iron oxide to create the explosives and had frequently posted online encouraging others to damage ULEZ cameras.