Kevin Rees jailed for 15 years over Ulez camera bombing in south-east London
Kevin Rees, 63, was jailed for 15 years for blowing up a Ulez camera in Sidcup in December 2023. The judge ruled the offence had a "terrorism connection".
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The story, neutrally told
MixedKevin Rees, 63, has been jailed for 15 years for blowing up an Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) camera in Sidcup, south-east London, on 6 December 2023. BBC NewsN “A man who blew up a ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) camera in south-east London has been jailed for 15 years.” Read at BBC News ↗ GB NewsR “Kevin Rees, 63, was identified as being responsible for blowing up an Ultra Low Emission Zone camera in South East London on December 6, 2023.” Read at GB News ↗ MixedThe Metropolitan Police said Judge Anthony Bate, who sentenced Rees at the Old Bailey, ruled that the offence had a "terrorism connection", which led to a tougher sentence and stricter controls after release; GB News says he must serve an additional year on licence. BBC NewsN “The Metropolitan Police said Judge Anthony Bate, who delivered the sentence at the Old Bailey, ruled that the offence had a "terrorism connection"” Read at BBC News ↗ GB NewsR “He will also have to serve an additional year on licence.” Read at GB News ↗ MixedRees was convicted in January at Woolwich Crown Court of causing an explosion likely to endanger life, and was sentenced to three years, to run concurrently, for three counts of possessing a prohibited weapon (described as stud guns by the BBC and stun guns by GB News) found at his home. BBC NewsN “was convicted in January at Woolwich Crown Court of causing an explosion likely to endanger life.”“Rees was also sentenced to three years, to run concurrently, after admitting three counts of possessing a prohibited weapon in relation to stud guns” Read at BBC News ↗ GB NewsR “He was also sentenced to three years in prison for having stun guns.” Read at GB News ↗
MixedThe jury heard that Rees, a retired engineer, travelled from his home in Sidcup to Shuttle Close, where a Ulez camera had been installed earlier that day, planted the device on the camera and lit a fuse. BBC NewsN “The retired electrical appliances engineer planted the device on the camera and lit a fuse.” Read at BBC News ↗ GB NewsR “He walked towards the camera and lit a fuse on the explosive device.” Read at GB News ↗ RightCounter Terrorism Policing London said the bomb was a metal cylinder filled with explosive powder, according to GB News. GB NewsR “Officers from Counter Terrorism Policing London found that Mr Rees used a homemade bomb using a metal cylinder filled with explosive powder.” Read at GB News ↗ MixedThe blast damaged cars and houses up to 100 metres away, with shrapnel hitting outside a child's bedroom. BBC NewsN “The device damaged cars and houses up to 100m away, with shrapnel hitting outside of a child's bedroom.” Read at BBC News ↗ GB NewsR “The explosions caused extensive damage to vehicles parked nearby and property up to 100 metres away, including a child's bedroom.” Read at GB News ↗
MixedRees was arrested on 18 December 2023. Officers found chemicals that could be used to make explosives at his home, including, according to GB News, a postal package containing aluminium powder and a bag of iron oxide. BBC NewsN “Rees was identified and arrested on 18 December 2023. Officers searched his home and found chemicals that could be used to make explosives.” Read at BBC News ↗ GB NewsR “Officers who searched his home found a sealed postal package addressed to Rees containing aluminium powder.” Read at GB News ↗ MixedPolice said Rees had posted repeatedly about Ulez cameras and encouraged people to damage them. GB News adds that investigators found a deleted photo of a Ulez camera being installed on 6 December 2023. BBC NewsN “Police said they found posts which encouraged the damage of the cameras.” Read at BBC News ↗ GB NewsR “Detectives found that the retired engineer had posted numerous times about Ulez cameras and encouraged people to damage them.” Read at GB News ↗ CentreAt trial Rees denied any involvement in the explosion. He said he strongly opposed Ulez and Mayor Sadiq Khan, and believed his arrest was due to his anti-Ulez posts on Facebook. BBC NewsN “Rees denied any involvement in the explosion and told jurors he believed his arrest was due to his posts in "anti-Ulez" groups on Facebook.”“the retired electrical engineer told the jury he "strongly opposed" the Ulez scheme and the mayor of London” Read at BBC News ↗
MixedDet Ch Supt James Derham, who leads local policing in Bexley, called it "miraculous" that nobody was killed or seriously injured. BBC NewsN “"It was miraculous that nobody was killed or seriously injured in the large explosion caused by Rees,"” Read at BBC News ↗ GB NewsR “said it was "miraculous" that no one was killed or seriously injured” Read at GB News ↗ CentreSiwan Hayward, Transport for London's director of security, policing and enforcement, called the act "reckless and highly dangerous" and said such incidents would not stop the Ulez operating. BBC NewsN “"a reckless and highly dangerous act that could have caused serious harm and resulted in the loss of life"”“will not stop the Ulez operating.” Read at BBC News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Straight court report that adds Rees's trial defence, the sentencing judge and court, and a statement from TfL.
- Emphasis
- Rees's denial and opposition to Ulez and Sadiq Khan; police and TfL statements on danger and on Ulez continuing.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not give the bomb's make-up or the package of aluminium powder; no mention of the deleted photo.
- For example
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“Rees denied any involvement in the explosion and told jurors he believed his arrest was due to his posts in "anti-Ulez" groups on Facebook.” — BBC News
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Leads on the "anti-Ulez activist" and the homemade bomb, with detail on the device and the evidence found.
- Emphasis
- Bomb construction, materials found at the home, the deleted photo and online posts urging damage to cameras.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention Rees's trial denial, his stated opposition to Sadiq Khan, the judge's name, or the TfL statement.
- Charged language
- “homemade bomb”“Anti-Ulez activist”
What every side reports
- Kevin Rees, 63, was jailed for 15 years for blowing up a Ulez camera in Sidcup on 6 December 2023.
- The judge found the offence had a "terrorism connection".
- The blast damaged property up to 100m away, including near a child's bedroom, and no one was killed or seriously injured.
- Rees was arrested on 18 December 2023 and also received a concurrent three-year sentence over prohibited weapons.
Where accounts differ
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Type of weapons found at Rees's home
- Centre
- BBC says stud guns.
- Right
- GB News says stun guns.
Kevin Rees person
Rees denied involvement at trial, said he strongly opposed Ulez and believed his arrest stemmed from his Facebook posts. He was convicted by a jury and sentenced to 15 years.
“Rees denied any involvement in the explosion and told jurors he believed his arrest was due to his posts in "anti-Ulez" groups on Facebook.” — BBC News
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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Man jailed for 15 years over Ulez camera blast
Neutral Plain report of sentence and trial detail, including Rees's denial and TfL's response.
Right1 article
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GB NewsR ·
Anti-Ulez activist jailed for 15 years after blowing up camera with homemade bomb
Critical Presents Rees as an anti-Ulez activist and stresses the homemade bomb and the evidence of his posts.
- 2 Oct 15:29 First GB NewsR Anti-Ulez activist jailed for 15 years after blowing up camera with homemade bomb
- 2 Oct 16:30 +1h 1m BBC NewsN Man jailed for 15 years over Ulez camera blast
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.