THREE Pro-Palestine protesters who caused £600,000 of damages during a protest at a weapons factory have avoided jail.

Ethan Murphy, 21, Aisling Jackson, 24, and Cat Scothorne, 21, scaled the Thales UK building in Glasgow's Govan.

The trio smashed windows and damaged an air conditioning unit during the early morning raid on July 11 2022.

The campaigners expressed anger over Thales’s arms productions – which includes military drones and armoured vehicles – but singled out the firm’s involvement in the Watchkeeper drone scheme.

A Ferret spokesperson said earlier this month that "Thales in the UK" does not supply drones to the Israeli military. 

The three activists were supported inside and outside the court during the four-day trial by a large number of protesters waving Palestine and anti-fascist flags.

All three were found guilty after trial last year at Glasgow Sheriff Court to a charge of malicious mischief.

The charge states they climbed over a fence onto the roof and struck windows with a hammer, causing damage to them, and caused broken glass to fall into the building which exposed equipment within to the elements.

The charge goes on to say they rendered the premises uninhabitable for employees and they struck air conditioning units with a hammer, then removed components from them which made them inoperative.

The trio were found not guilty to a separate charge of culpable and reckless conduct.

Sheriff Iain Fleming ordered Murphy, of London, to do 300 hours of unpaid work and put him under supervision for 12 months.

Jackson, of Birmingham, meantime will do 200 hours as well as 12 months supervision.

Scothorne, of Glasgow's Kelvinbridge, will carry out 300 hours of unpaid work with no supervison.