Ahead of their sentencing, four Palestine Action activists are applying to remove the judge in their case over his alleged bias, after news broke in May that he intends to sentence them as terrorists.
Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Leona Kamio, and Fatema Rajwani, known as the "Filton 4", were found guilty of criminal damage on 5 May over their direct action protest at an Elbit Systems factory in Filton, near Bristol, on 6 August 2024.
They will be sentenced on 12 June. A further two activists, Zoe Rogers and Jordan Devlin, were acquitted.
"It's clear that the judge in this case has lost objectivity. Only a judge with a political bias in favour of Israel's genocide could treat a motivation to stop the genocide as a potentially aggravating factor," a spokesperson for campaign group Defend Our Juries told The New Arab .
The activists cite Judge Jeremy Johnson's alleged bias and discrimination in handing the two trials of the Filton six by treating the defendants' motivation to stop Israel committing war crimes as a potentially aggravating factor and incarcerating three female defendants.
The spokesperson noted that the judge had tried to bring the activists' barrister, Rajiv Menon KC, prosecuted for "contempt of court".
"Only a judge determined to secure convictions at all costs would attempt to prosecute the lead defence barrister for his closing speech," they said. Menon later won an appeal against the proceedings.
Judge Johnson's attempt to remove Menon was one of the driving forces behind the application.
"Only a judge with a personal vendetta would deny three young people time with their families before sentencing, when not even the prosecution was asking for that," the spokesperson said.
"Let's hope the judge has the self-awareness to realise he's lost impartiality, and that he does the right thing on Monday by recusing himself."
The application will be heard on 8 June.
Judge Johnson is also subject to a formal complaint filed today with the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office by Defend Our Juries, alleging bias and discriminatory conduct. The move comes after it was revealed that the Judge is expected to add a " terrorist connection " to their charges under section 69 of the Sentencing Act to the Filton 4, despite the jury only convicting them under criminal law on 5 May.
While it is not certain whether they would be sentenced as terrorists, the Judge ruled in a preliminary hearing in March 2025 that there appeared to be a "terrorist connection" as the activists were trying to influence the Israeli government by restricting its access to weapons. The change could mean longer sentences and lifelong restrictions.