A G20 demonstrator, who struck at a police cameraman with a wooden stick during last years’ City of London protest, has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.
The square mile was brought to a standstill as demonstrators from all over the country descended on the UK’s financial centre, sparking a violent confrontation with police (pictured).
John Turner, 54, of Hallam Fields Road, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, pleaded guilty at Isleworth Crown Court to violent disorder and possessing a police baton as an offensive weapon in Cornhill, on April 1.
“You were involved in a serious episode of public disorder in London, the G20 riots,” Judge Robin Johnson told him. “Those people were armed with sticks, some were throwing missiles at police and many were masked and you were wearing a pair of large sunglasses.
“You waved the stick in a hostile manner,” the Judge added. “The crowd was violent and provocative. The police response was measured, there was no charge.
“It was a major incident of public disorder and others were encouraged, no doubt, by your behaviour,” said Judge Johnson. The right to protest in public is the hallmark of a strong democracy and the police are there to keep order.”
Prosecutor Mr. Lyall Thompson told the court: “Officers were on duty for the large demonstration against the G20 conference and PC Daniel Shaw was a video cameraman gathering evidence for the Police Support Group.
At the junction of Queen Victoria Street and Cannon Street at 4pm the officer started filming the front line of “a crowd of hostile people.”
“A long stick is thrown by another person towards the police,” explained Mr. Thompson. “Mr. Turner is seen to bend down and pick up the piece of wood.”
It was described as three feet long and two inches wide.
“Without warning or provocation he raised the stick and moved towards PC Shaw wielding the stick overhead and bringing it down with force in the direction of PC Shaw.
“An officer with a shield moved in front of PC Shaw to prevent the stick hitting him,” added the prosecutor.
“Mr. Turner calmly moved back to the front of the crowd, holding the stick. He waved it in a provocative manner and there appears to be some taunting towards the officers.”
Afterwards the officer involved said he was “shocked and shaken up”.
The court viewed the CCTV footage in which Turner, wearing a tracksuit top, woolly hat and sunglasses is seen mocking officers by dancing with the stick and waving it in the air.
An hour and twenty minutes later suspicious officers near the Bank of England stopped Turner because he was hiding something under his jumper.
“He attempted to stop the officers. His arm had to be pulled away and they found a black police public order baton.”
When quizzed Turner told the officers: “I found it on the floor. I was going to keep it and take it home as a souvenir.”
Turner was questioned about the earlier stick incident. “He admitted picking up the stick and hitting out with it, but not that he hit anything and said he reacted that way because he did not like being filmed.”
His lawyer Miss Houzla Rawat told the court: “This was not pre-meditated. He had not arrived armed. He picked-up the stick moments before.
“He drove some friends down from Nottingham to London that day as the designated driver because he does not drink and decided to see what was going on and he got separated from his friends.”
Turner denies actually hitting a police officer. “He pulled back from hitting an officer. No injury was sustained and there was no damage to equipment.”
Turner’s previous convictions are for growing cannabis and possession of class ‘A’ drugs. He is currently attending ‘Ad Action’ in Derby for his heroin addiction.
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