@Jennifer1984 Said 
18 year old Edward Woollard was sent to a Young Offender's Institute for 2 years 8 months today, after pleading guilty to charges relating to rioting during a student demonstration in November.
Woollard was taking part in a student demonstration protesting about government plans to remove the cap from tuition fees. The protest turned violent when a group of students smashed their way into the Conservative Party HQ at Millbank, causing hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of damage and terrorising innocent workers. Amidst scenes of total mayhem, Woollard made his way onto the roof of the building with other demonstrators and threw a heavy steel fire extinguisher down into the crowd, narrowly missing a police officer.
There is little doubt that if the extinguisher had hit the officer he would probably have been killed, or at the very least, have suffered severe injury.
Woollard was caught on camera though and his picture was flashed across the nations' TV screens on newscasts. Five days later, he handed himself in to police.
He claimed to have been "caught up in the moment" and according to his mother, "acted out of character". The maximum sentence for the offence he was charged with is 5 years but the judge took into account his previous good character, the fact that he handed himself in, pleaded guilty and showed remorse.
Some are already saying that the sentence is excessive and politically motivated. I disagree. The sentence, I believe, reflects the seriousness of the offence and its potential to cause death or serious injury. I personally think the judge got the sentence right.
Some others suggest that the sentence should have been more severe, in order to "send out a message" to other students thinking of going on further demonstrations. Again, I disagree. The law should take only the facts of the case into account. Whilst the law should set an example of what can happen to wrongdoers, such deterrence should not have a political motive.
Thoughts, anyone..?
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https://www.theforumsite.com/forum/topic/Student-protester-jailed-for-throwing-fire-extinguisher/425233
Jan 11, 2011 @ 18:33:58
