A pro-Palestine activist firebombed a McDonald’s, two Starbucks and a BBC office in an anti-Israel crime wave.
Martha Goddard, 51, was convicted this week of constructing homemade incendiary devices which she triggered with lit sparklers before attacking the string of premises in Norwich, Norfolk.
At the scene of her crimes Goddard left behind anti-Israel posters in protest of the treatment of Palestinians in Gaza by Israeli forces, which police used to trace her via fingerprints left on them.
Following a 12-day trial at Woolwich Crown Court, Goddard was convicted of five counts of causing criminal damage and two counts of making an explosive substance.
She was cleared of attempting to cause explosions and of attacking the Tacolneston transmitting station in south Norfolk.
Since her convictions, it has emerged that Goddard, described as ‘weird’ but ‘not threatening’ by neighbours, was largely left alone by residents of her quiet Norwich street.
They told how she was often seen at the local river practising martial arts with a samurai sword, something neighbours claimed ‘frightened’ local children.
But none could seemingly have predicted Goddard’s five-month campaign last year which saw her set off homemade devices made with thermite, a pyrotechnic compound that burns at extremely high temperatures.
Martha Goddard, 51, was convicted of five counts of causing criminal damage and two counts of making an explosive substance
Police were called to reports of a suspected arson attack at Starbucks in St Stephens Street, Norwich on July 25 – Goddard has now been convicted over it
Goddard’s five-month campaign last year saw her set off homemade devices made with thermite, a pyrotechnic compound that burns at extremely high temperatures
CCTV footage showed how Goddard set devices at her target locations in Norwich between March and July last year.
She is seen approaching The Forum building, home to a BBC office in the city, and pasting multiple posters on the glass frontage.
Having already placed her device on the ground, she then removes a long item from her pocket and reaches down towards it.
The device suddenly ignites, and Goddard calmly walks away while a fire grows behind her.
Later in the footage, a figure dressed in black, thought to be a security guard, approaches from within the building to investigate.
At the sites targeted, pro-Palestine posters were left with slogans such as ‘stop bombing Gaza’, as well as a message which called the BBC ‘cowards’.
‘Broadcast Gaza medics in fear, you cowards,’ the poster read.
The posters also contained an inverted red triangle, a symbol associated with proscribed terror group Hamas, as well as the pro-Palestine movement more generally.
It was the fingerprints recovered from these posters which led officers to view Goddard as a suspect.
Goddard now faces a jail sentence when she returns to Woolwich Crown Court in October
Goddard left signs in support of Gaza and Palestinians at the scene, which police used to identify her as a suspect
Goddard is seen on CCTV on the night of one of the attacks in Norwich
Damage to a door frame caused by one of Goddard’s devices
When police raided her house, they found several kilograms of substances used to make thermite, which the court heard Goddard poured into bottles with a hole in the top. She would then light the devices by inserting a lit sparkler into the hole.
Officers found confession letters referring to the attacks on her computer, the court was told.
They seized a camouflage jacket and woolly hat which appeared to match the clothes worn by the figure spotted in CCTV of all the attacks.
A bike and distinctive tote bag were also found, as were materials that could be used to make gunpowder.
The blazes caused thousands of pounds worth of damage.
Mrs Justice Maura McGowan had previously advised jurors not to take decisions ‘based on your personal opinions – whatever you may think of Palestine, whatever you may think of McDonald’s’.
Goddard will be sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on October 16.
