Legal News
Student Fees Protestor Loses Appeal against Jail Sentence (31 October 2011)
Date: 31/10/2011
The son of Pink Floyd's David Gilmour has lost his appeal against his jail sentence for violent disorder. Charlie Gilmour, of West Sussex, was handed a 16-month jail sentence in July of this year for swinging from a flag at the Cenotaph during a protest against student fees. The Cambridge University student was also found to have damaged both a shop in Oxford Street and a car taking part in a royal convoy. Court of Appeal judges described Mr. Gilmour’s jail term as not "unduly harsh".
Lord Justice Hughes claimed that the court was unable to argue that his jail term was “manifestly excessive or wrong in principle”. Mr. Gilmour was one of the thousands of protesters who flocked to Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square in December of last year to protest against a rise in university tuition fees.
Mr. Gilmour had previously entered a non-specific guilty plea at a Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court hearing following the protest. The judge had accepted that Mr. Gilmour’s antics at the Cenotaph failed to form a part of the violent disorder but described the behaviour as “outrageous and deeply offensive”. Mr. Gilmour’s lawyers argued at the appeal hearing that Mr. Gilmour had failed to realise that he was swinging from a war memorial at the time of the protest.
Duncan Lewis’ criminal law solicitors can represent clients charged with criminal offences. The team are also able to advise clients on launching appeals against their jail terms. The department’s case building excellence is built on a thorough knowledge of the criminal justice system and its expert ability to assemble first-rate documentation.