Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Student fees rioter Edward Woollard pleads guilty to throwing a fire extinguisher from the roof of Millbank, he should face lengthy prison sentence














Dear All

Student protest is part of student life but there are limits.

The student who threw a fire extinguisher off the roof of Millbank tower during tuition fee riots outside Conservative Party headquarters has admitted he done it.

The fire extinguisher dropped from the height of 70ft could have killed someone; it was a deliberate and incredibly stupid act.

So what should happen to Edward Woollard who is 18?

Prison!

Not a fine and not community service, this incident warrants jail time.

Appearing at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court, his solicitor Matt Foot said:

“Mr Woollard is pleading guilty and I make it very clear he is very sorry for his actions.”

Given there is photo evidence, he is bang to rights.

Woollard has admitted one charge of violent disorder, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison under the Public Order Act.

The Crown should be pushing for the maximum sentence in this case to adequately punish Woollard and send a clear message, protest fine, violent protest prison.

Prosecutor Robert Short told District Judge Nicholas Evans the case was not suitable for sentencing at the magistrates' court because this incident is too serious for the lower court.

So Woollard will be sentenced at Southwark Crown Court at a later date.

Short said:

“It involves throwing an empty fire extinguisher from the roof of the Millbank tower towards officers and members of the public below. The risk there was considerable.”

Friends of Woollard have set up a Facebook group to supporting him. They claim that he is a 'quiet guy who wouldn't intentionally hurt anybody'.

Photo evidence to the contrary and such naivety on their part!

Sometimes sorry or even very sorry isn’t enough, innocent people could have been hurt or killed.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

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