Tommy Robinson supporter weeps in court after being spared jail over ‘disgraceful violence’ at protest
Judge spares mother immediate custody because she is sole carer of children
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails
Sign up to our free breaking news emails
Sign up to our free breaking news emails
A Tommy Robinson supporter cried as she was spared jail over her role in an afternoon of “disgraceful violence” against police.
Kate Beveridge, a single mother of two and primary school cook, avoided immediate jail after she joined a violent pro-Robinson demonstration in which cans, traffic cones and various makeshift missiles were thrown.
She was handed a 15-month jail term, suspended for 18 months, and spared immediate custody because she is the sole carer of her children.
Beveridge, who was the only one of five defendants to be spared jail, was reportedly drunk when she threw a one litre plastic drinks bottle at police during the protest in central London in June 2018.
Three of the other defendants were jailed for violent disorder, while the youngest member of the group was sent to a young offenders institution.
At the sentencing, Judge Deborah Taylor told Beveridge: “You have two children aged 14 and two for whom you are the sole carer.
“You should think what sort of example you are setting your own children and the children at the primary school by the actions you carried out that day.”
The 35-year-old, from Singleton in Lancashire, wiped away tears as the judge told her she would be spared immediate custody at Southwark Crown Court.
Her counsel, Sheryl Nwosu, said: “She expresses not only sorrow but embarrassment and shame. She does not align herself with what went on that day.
“She acted on intoxicated impulse ... this is a one-off.”
Danny Grealey, Keith O’Sullivan and Robert Sandford were jailed for violent disorder, while Andrew McLean, who is 20 years old, was sent to a young offenders institution.
The court heard how police were “overrun” by the disorder in the capital in June when thousands of people packed into Whitehall to demand Robinson’s release.
The former EDL leader was in prison for contempt of court at the time of the demonstration.
Prosecutor Aska Fujita said: “It turned ugly. The police have been constantly abused, missiles were thrown at them, they have been punched, kicked and had barriers thrown at them.
“The number of defendants does not reflect the actual occurrence of violence – police have tried incredibly hard to identify the people involved.
“However, out of a crowd of hundreds and thousands, it is impossible to identify everyone.”
She added that more than 20 police officers were injured, although there were no injuries more serious than cuts and bruises.
However, Ms Fujita insisted that this was only “due to sheer coincidence.”
“Each of the defendants were involved in serious acts of violence, including using weapons that could have caused serious injury,” she said.
The five defendants were the first of 14 defendants due to be sentenced for violent disorder during three hearings at the court.
Robinson was released from Belmarsh prison in southeast London a fortnight ago, two months into a nine-month sentence for contempt of court.
Agencies contributed to this report