http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-14150800

Charlie Gilmour, son of Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour, has been jailed for 16 months for a rampage at a student fees protest in central London.

Rather embarrassingly, not only a fellow alumnus of my alma mater but also from the same college.

16 months is a pretty hefty stretch for pretty boy though.

Having had the privilege of the finest private education money can buy, I’m sure the nocturnal demands of his cellmate will be just like old times for him

albeit a well deserved hefty stretch.

“You have shown disrespect to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, to those who fell defending this country.”

Not to mention, his Dad. 🙁

16 months? Rather OTT is it not?

What happened to that idiot who threw a fire extinguisher off the roof at police?

edit; just read the report, good sentence – he [and a number of others] won’t be doing that again.

If this guy got 16 months, then I assume they shot that guy into the space.

…agree with TJ. Seems very harsh.

What happened to that idiot who threw a fire extinguisher off the roof at police?

*pedant mode* He didn’t allegedly throw it, he allegedly dropped it, *pedant mode*

close, jamie.
He was given 2yrs 8m inside
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-12159581

A student who admitted throwing a fire extinguisher from the roof of a central London building during the student fees protests has been jailed.

Edward Woollard, 18, from Hampshire, was among protesters who broke into the Tory party headquarters and emerged on the roof on 10 November.

He was jailed for two years and eight months after admitting at an earlier hearing to committing violent disorder.

Seems very harsh.

probably not for messing with a ‘Royal’ convoy. I presume he was made an example of.

The most shocking thing about this whole case is the fact that he was swinging off a Union flag placed on an enormous marble plinth with the names of lots of dead people solemnly engraved on it, surrounded by poppy reathes. Yet he claimed he was unaware it was a cenetaph

I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions as to what that says about the ludicrously expensive private education he received

sentences should never be used to make an example of someone or to deter others they should reflect what he did not what others may do.
Seems harsh for throwing a bin, sitting on a car and smashing a window tbh.
I am sure every weekend drunks do similar without getting sent down.
binners

Gilmour claimed he had not realised the significance of the memorial – an excuse the judge rejected.

“For a young man of your intelligence and education and background to profess to not know what the Cenotaph represents defies belief,” he said.

He’s either stupid for not knowing what the cenotaph was, or stupid for thinking anyone would believe that level of ignorance

Dumbed if he does, dumbed if he doesnt. 🙂

yes can we give that defence a name for STW purposes?

the “Girton” defence?

Or the “Pigs over Battersea” defence?

Dear Dad,

Wish You Were Here

Love

Charlie

He’s either stupid for not knowing what the cenotaph was, or stupid for thinking anyone would believe that level of ignorance

FTFY. In reality he just said what he was told to say by his council.

sentences should never be used to make an example of someone or to deter others

Maybe, but in some cases (like this) it probably works.

There’s no point comparing it to Woollard’s sentence. 2 years and 7 months of that was for his haircut.

Gilmour, 21, was accused of throwing a bin at a convoy of cars containing Prince Charles, sitting on a protection officer’s car and smashing a window.

Why is relevant to the sentence or the story that Prince Charles was in the convoy ? Is his safety more important than all the other unnamed people in the convoy ? I bet it had an impact on the sentence though.

Kingston Crown Court heard he had taken LSD and valium before the incident.

Anyone else thinking that this is a) un unusual cocktail of gear, b) a really odd cocktail of gear to go out on a demo on.

OTT sentence or not, if he doesn’t his sentence he shouldn’t have behaved criminally in the first place….

As for setting an example of him (or them), I think that is justified in the ‘grater good’ sense if it makes students think twice about causing carnage when they get pissed in London next time….

you should be sentenced for what you do not what others may do.
I suspect off his head on LSD and valium the sentence regulations were not part of his main thought process. [ yes odd choice unless he did the later afterwards to sleep it off]
The fact he did the crime also suggests that deterrents dont always work. Lets not get OT just yet on deterrents.

Presumably his sentence lies somewhere between the minimum and maximum penalty for the offences of which he was convicted. They don’t just make this stuff up on the fly to “make an example” of someone cos they had a go at Charlie.

He’ll only do half of it anyway.

It’d be more unbelievable if, just for example, his dad had been instrumental in recording a seminal album which drew attention to the war dead

Oh… hang on a minute….

Having had the privilege of the finest private education money can buy, I’m sure the nocturnal demands of his cellmate will be just like old times for him

mmm a bit of rough eh? might be a bit of win win there

They don’t just make this stuff up on the fly to “make an example” of someone cos they had a go at Charlie.

If there was any ‘example making’ carried out I don’t think it had ‘that much’ to do with charlie (they didn’t even know he was going to be there). Probably aimed more at the thousands of students who might fancy another go sometime – you can guarantee that the sentence will be talked about in the SU bar.

Anyone else thinking that this is a) un unusual cocktail of gear, b) a really odd cocktail of gear to go out on a demo on.

I’d guess the valium is to calm any acid-induced panic attacks. Still, odd, but points added for inventiveness.

hed have been far better just running over a cyclist
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/322677/another-killer-driver-escapes-prosecution.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/7941377/Unsupervised-learner-driver-killed-cyclist-after-dropping-mother-off-at-chip-shop.html

http://www.burnleycitizen.co.uk/news/pendle/9124323.Disappointment_at__lenient__sentence_for_Pendle_hit_and_run_driver/

Trail Monkey wrote:

Kingston Crown Court heard he had taken LSD and valium before the incident.

Anyone else thinking that this is a) un unusual cocktail of gear, b) a really odd cocktail of gear to go out on a demo on.

Yeah – valium is used to take the edge of heavy LSD trips if they get a bit too much to handle. Perhaps he’d been having a bit of a rough ride! 😕

Don’t know if this lot is correct, but if it is it seems fair:

You only have to take a look at the sentencing history for “Violent Disorder”, coupled with Mr Gilmour’s nature in court (allegedly giggling at scenes of his actions), tempered by the fact he pleaded guilty and apologised for certain (but not all) actions.

Attacking a police officer by throwing bottles – 10 months
Encouraging others to KILL police officers – 12 months
Revenge attack on property, with “attack” of person, person of good character – 18 months
Taking part in a riot, repetitive attacks on riot police with state of mind to “re-arm” with projectiles, second offence – 3 years

16 months, given that Charlie doesn’t exactly seem remorseful of the main elements of the charge (which is the threat, as little as it was in reality, he put members of family of the head of state under, and the encouragement for others to break the law), seems pretty much bang on all things considered, doesn’t it?

Now, perhaps the sentencing range (maximum 5 years) for this offence is too harsh, that’d be a fair stance to take.

But to call this sentencing “political” or “outrageous” is to just not have bothered to check what is normal in sentencing this kind of offence, as it stands in law.

Can’t say I’m that bothered either way really.

Charlie Gilmour, quelle singe de bite!

sentences should never be used to make an example of someone or to deter others they should reflect what he did not what others may do.

Personally I think jail SHOULD be used as a deterrent rather than just as a punishment.

It should also be harsh enough that the threat of imprisonment is something to be really feared.

That said the there should also be real incentives in prison to rehabilitate and re-educated / retrain inmates so they leave as valuable members of society. If they don’t want to do that then fine 23hrs a day in a cell 1 hour exercise. No luxuries.

Poor little rich kid.

Nothing OTT about sentence at all he pleaded guilty to violent disorder …. next step riot!!

Personally I think jail SHOULD be used as a deterrent rather than just as a punishment.

Punishing the innocent has a similar deterrent effect. Lets use them to prevent others after all the sentence is to deter others not punish the offenders!
On face value this looks like a silly argument but the logic is faultless. Same effect of the sentence ie you deter others which is the main aim of the sentence.
Personally i dont think deterrents work for two main reasons
1. Most criminals are not thinking logically or they are crimes of passion or due to loosing your cool – violence, drunk etc
2. With most planned crime the perpetrators hopes to get away with it.

The royal car was deliberately driven through the protests, and they were allowed to clamber all over the cenotaph in order to create the images and media moral outrage that you muppets just lap up, the fact that there was a drugged up son of a celebrity there was just a bonus. The whole cosy relationship between government, police and media has been inescapable for weeks and still you can’t see when you are being manipulated.

The inequality in access to education is a bigger insult to the memories of those who have died in service than the defacement of stone and brass.

The inequality in access to education is a bigger insult to the memories of those who have died in service than the defacement of stone and brass.

He does have a point you know…

The royal car was deliberately driven through the protests, and they were allowed to clamber all over the cenotaph in order to create the images and media moral outrage that you muppets just lap up,

How do you know this 🙂

the lizzard king told him did you not get the e-mail?
that means you dont survive the floods 😯

double post

I saw the images of ranks of policemen standing idly by while a small number of agitators caused damage under the noses of large numbers of camera crews, unfortunately the reports didn’t match the images.
Close protection squad and police escort, in what is probably the worlds most monitored city “accidentally” drives into the middle of a protest that has been kettled by the police.

If you believe the official line, then your more likely to believe in lizard men than I.