From the Brize Norton 5 to the Brize Norton 6: how the case grew
Four people were charged in early July 2025. A fifth was arrested in August, and Lara Downes was charged in 2026 as the sixth, which is why the case is now called the Brize Norton 6.
Key points
- Four people were charged and remanded in early July 2025, after the protest at RAF Brize Norton on 20 June 2025.
- Muhammad Umer Khalid was arrested on 1 August 2025 and appeared at the Old Bailey on 22 August 2025 as the fifth accused.
- Lara Downes was charged in mid-2026 as the sixth accused, and has denied the charges.
- The first five accused pleaded not guilty at the Old Bailey in January 2026.
Muhammad Umer Khalid was arrested on 1 August 2025 and appeared at the Old Bailey on 22 August 2025 as the fifth accused.
The first four people were charged and remanded in early July 2025 over the protest at RAF Brize Norton, the Royal Air Force base in Oxfordshire, on 20 June 2025. The case took the name Brize Norton 5 from the first five people charged.
#Who was charged, and when?
| Accused | Charged | Plea or position |
|---|---|---|
| Amu Gib | Early July 2025 | Not guilty plea, January 2026 |
| Jon Cink | Early July 2025 | Not guilty plea, January 2026 |
| Daniel Jeronymides-Norie | Early July 2025 | Not guilty plea, January 2026 |
| Lewie Chiaramello | Early July 2025 | Not guilty plea, January 2026 |
| Muhammad Umer Khalid | Arrested 1 August 2025; charge date not reported | Not guilty plea, January 2026 |
| Lara Downes | Mid-2026 | Denies the charges, October 2026 |
The reporting gives one plea date for the first five accused, so the table repeats it for each.
#How did the number grow?
- Early July 2025: four people are charged and remanded. The trial is later set for January 2027.
- 1 August 2025: Muhammad Umer Khalid is arrested. He appears at the Old Bailey on 22 August 2025 as the fifth accused.
- 16 January 2026: the first five accused plead not guilty at the Old Bailey.
- Mid-2026: Lara Downes is charged as the sixth accused and remanded.
- October 2026: Lara Downes denies the charges.
#Why is it called the Brize Norton 5 and then 6?
The name counts people charged, not people convicted. None of the six has been convicted of anything.
#Where does the case stand?
All six are on pre-trial remand. Profiles of the accused and the full case timeline give more detail, and what to expect at the trial covers the charges and the court. The trial is scheduled to begin on 25 January 2027 at Woolwich Crown Court.
Questions and answers
Why is the case called the Brize Norton 5 and then the Brize Norton 6?
The first five people charged made up the Brize Norton 5. Lara Downes was charged in 2026 as the sixth, which gave the case its Brize Norton 6 name.
When was each Brize Norton accused charged?
Four people were charged and remanded in early July 2025, and Lara Downes in mid-2026. Muhammad Umer Khalid was arrested on 1 August 2025, and the reporting reviewed does not give his charge date.
Have the Brize Norton accused entered pleas?
The first five pleaded not guilty at the Old Bailey in January 2026. Lara Downes has also denied the charges against her.
