Four admit destroying Golders Green ambulances
Arson attack in March caused £1m damage to Hatzola vehicles and nearby buildings.
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Four men have admitted to destroying four ambulances belonging to the Hatzola volunteer ambulance service in Golders Green. The guilty pleas were entered at the Old Bailey on Friday. The arson attack, which occurred in the early hours of March 23, resulted in damage estimated at £1 million. This included the destruction of the four fully stocked vehicles, as well as damage to nearby residential flats and a synagogue.
Details of the incident
Four guilty of Golders Green ambulance arson
Attack on Jewish community vehicles caused £1m damage during antisemitic incidents
Hamza Iqbal, 20, Rehan Khan, 19, Judex Atshatshi, and Saif Ali, all 18, pleaded guilty to a charge of destroying or damaging property while being reckless as to whether life would be endangered. Three of the defendants are alleged to have set fire to the vehicles, with a fourth waiting in a blue Toyota Avensis. The resulting blaze caused gas canisters within the ambulances to explode. Prosecutors stated they believe the incident was a targeted attack against the Jewish community. The four ambulances, each costing between £240,000 and £250,000, were operated by Hatzola, a volunteer-led service serving the Golders Green area. Four electrical charging stations and cables, valued at approximately £5,000 each, were also destroyed.
Legal proceedings and next steps
Judex Atshatshi, Rehan Khan, and Hamza Iqbal entered their pleas via video-link from Wandsworth and Pentonville jails, while Saif Ali appeared in the Old Bailey dock. Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb ordered pre-sentence reports for all four men. They have been remanded in custody, with sentencing scheduled for spring 2027. This date is set to follow the conclusion of a separate trial involving a fifth defendant. Subhan Ahmed, 18, pleaded not guilty to assisting an offender and is alleged to have helped dispose of the car used in the attack. His trial is set to commence at the Old Bailey on January 27.
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During his arrest on April 1, Saif Ali reportedly threw his mobile phone out of a window. Court proceedings have previously heard that Ali, then aged 17, had made inquiries about purchasing a blue Toyota Avensis in February and had researched ambulance costs online. The prosecution alleged that Ali sourced the vehicle used in the attack, with WhatsApp messages between him and a co-defendant indicating the purchase.
Questions this report answers
+What happened in Golders Green on March 23?
In the early hours of March 23, four Jewish community ambulances belonging to the volunteer-led Hatzola service were destroyed in an arson attack in Golders Green. The fire also damaged nearby flats and a synagogue.
+Who has pleaded guilty to the attack?
Four men have pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to destroying the ambulances. They are Hamza Iqbal, 20, Rehan Khan, 19, Judex Atshatshi, and Saif Ali, both aged 18. They admitted to destroying property recklessly.
+What is the total cost of the damage?
The arson attack caused approximately £1 million of damage. This figure includes the destruction of the four Hatzola ambulances, four electrical charging stations, and damage to nearby residential flats and a synagogue.
+When will the men be sentenced?
Sentencing for the four men who pleaded guilty is scheduled for spring 2027. This will take place at the conclusion of a separate trial for a fifth defendant, Subhan Ahmed, who denies assisting an offender.
Barnet Press News Desk
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Four guilty of Golders Green ambulance arson