Norwich woman denies explosive charges in library and cafe attacks
50-year-old Martha Goddard pleads not guilty to 16 charges
A woman has denied damaging and trying to cause an explosion at a Norwich library, chain cafes, and a transmission station.
Martha Goddard, 50, from Norwich, is accused of carrying out a series of attacks with improvised incendiary devices.
She allegedly targeted various commercial premises in the Norfolk city between March 3 2025 and September 29 2025.
Premises included the Millennium Library, McDonald's, Starbucks, and Tacolneston transmission station.
On Friday, Goddard appeared at the Old Bailey by video-link from Peterborough prison for a hearing before Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb.
She pleaded not guilty to 16 charges. They included attempting to cause an explosion with intent to endanger life, criminal damage and making and keeping explosive substances.
It is alleged she damaged glass windows at The Millennium Library, Starbucks, and a McDonald's in Haymarket, Norwich, and caused more than £8,000 damage to doors at a Starbucks.
She is also alleged to have damaged a metal security fence and a mast at the transmission station valued at more than more than £5,000.
The explosive substances the defendant is accused of having were thermite and black powder, the court heard.
During the Old Bailey hearing, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb confirmed Goddard's trial would take place at Woolwich Crown Court from July 13 with a pre-trial hearing in the week of June 15.
The defendant was remanded into custody.