Kill the Bill Three sentenced for roles in disorder
THREE people have been sentenced for their roles after public disorder at the Kill The Bill protest in the city last year. Bristol Crown Court heard the three were caught up in trouble which flared outside Bridewell Police Station on March 21.
On that day thousands of people took to the streets of the city to march and then sit down outside the police station. The peaceful protest was against a controversial Government bill curtailing the right to protest.
“Kill the Bill” campaigners were against the proposed Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, giving police and the Home Secretary increased powers to stop protests. It also made a special new law to protect monuments and statues, in the wake of the toppling of the statue of Edward Colston, with the crime of damaging them punishable by up to ten years in prison.
But scenes on March 21 turned ugly, with protesters letting off fireworks, throwing missiles at police, setting a police van on fire and smashing the windows of the police station. Police put out a series of appeals to trace the perpetrators and arrests and followed.
On Friday three more people appeared for sentence at Bristol Crown Court.
Fleur Moody, 26, of Albany Road, Bristol, pleaded guilty to affray.
Tyler Overall, 28, of Third Avenue in Filton, pleaded guilty to violent disorder. Christopher Hind, 38, of Stottbury Road in Bristol, pleaded guilty to violent disorder.
Judge James Patrick jailed Overall and Hind for 21 months. He handed Moody an eight-month jail term, suspended for 18 months, with up to 40 hours’ rehabilitation and up to 80 hours’ unpaid work.
The judge told them: “You were involved in widespread public disorder in March 2021. What happened is by now well known and well travelled.”
Christopher Smyth, prosecuting Moody, told the court she delivered a “karate-style kick” to a police shield. In the course of the melee she was PAVA sprayed and was given first aid in the police station.
David Scutt, prosecuting Overall, said Overall was “front and centre” at certain points, kicked out at police and goaded them. He was seen tussling with an officer and, later, holding a police shield.
Rupert Russell, prosecuting Hind, said Hind was “on the front line of violence” for just over an hour. He said Hind was seen kicking, pushing and punching police.
Moody’s barrister Jacob Bindman conceded his slightly-built client kicked a police shield. He said she was thrown about in the crowd and she was struck to the head with a police baton, for which she received first aid from St John Ambulance medics.
Overall’s barrister Gerrard Pitt said his client had fallen backwards and taken a police shield with him. He said his client had been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) which affected his mood and temper and caused emotional dis-regulation.
Hind’s barrister Owen Greenhall told the court his client had pushed against police shields. He said Hind, a landscape gardener, musician and charity worker, had ADHD which had a bearing on his decision making.
So far, 23 people have been jailed for offences committed during the riot. They have been imprisoned for a combined total of 81 years and three months.
Supt James Riccio said: “Three more people have been brought to justice for their actions on that shameful night. They all displayed criminal behaviour and admitted offences due to the significant amount of material gathered, reviewed and assessed during this ongoing investigation.”