Thug who launched a flying kick at a police officer during a Black Lives Matter protest in central London is spared jail
- 3 years ago
A thug who launched a flying kick at a police officer during a Black Lives Matter protest in central London has been spared jail.
Jonathan Daley poleaxed the cop by hurling himself through the air and connecting with the top of his leg, leaving the officer sprawled out on the ground.
The 27-year-old was then captured on video cheering and celebrating the kick with members of the crowd.
He was part of a mass demonstration in Whitehall near Derby Gate, over the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis last May.
Protests over the security guard's killing spread across the globe and on June 3 last year, Daley was among thousands who took to the streets of the capital to make a stand against racism in society.
But a group of around 250 activists started becoming hostile to a TV film crew and police officers moved in to help them, Scotland Yard said.
As some of the protesters began throwing missiles at officers, Daley ran up behind one officer who had his back turned and tried to kick him, narrowly missing his target.
CCTV footage captured Daley then running ahead of police officers and hiding behind railings, looking to ambush them.
As one officer passed, Daley lunged out and took a flying kick that hit the cop's upper-thigh.
When the officer fell to the ground, Daley ran off and was seen on social media footage cheering and celebrating his attack with the crowd.
CCTV in the area picked up Daley and he was arrested later that day in Parliament Square.
Daley, from Dagenham, east London, appeared in court and pleaded guilty to one charge of violent disorder.
At the London Inner Crown Court on Thursday (July 29), he was handed a 20-month prison term, but spared jail as the sentence was suspended for two years.
He was also ordered to do 100 hours unpaid work, go to a probation programme for 30 days and pay a victim surcharge of £200.
After the sentencing, Detective Constable Steve Nicholls from the Met’s Public Order Crime Team, described the behaviour directed at officers as "sickening" and "thuggish".
He said today (Mon): "It is sickening to see someone treat a police officer with such thuggish behaviour.
"Despite being outnumbered, those officers were trying to help a TV film crew who were being subjected to scenes of violence and hostility.
"It is deeply worrying to see a crowd of people become so aggressive to police officers.
"Thanks to the excellent CCTV footage on Whitehall, which captured the assault in its entirety, we were able to identify Daley swiftly and arrest him later that day in Parliament Square.
"Daley has been spared jail on this occasion, but if he offends again he can be sure to spend many nights behind bars."
Jonathan Daley poleaxed the cop by hurling himself through the air and connecting with the top of his leg, leaving the officer sprawled out on the ground.
The 27-year-old was then captured on video cheering and celebrating the kick with members of the crowd.
He was part of a mass demonstration in Whitehall near Derby Gate, over the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis last May.
Protests over the security guard's killing spread across the globe and on June 3 last year, Daley was among thousands who took to the streets of the capital to make a stand against racism in society.
But a group of around 250 activists started becoming hostile to a TV film crew and police officers moved in to help them, Scotland Yard said.
As some of the protesters began throwing missiles at officers, Daley ran up behind one officer who had his back turned and tried to kick him, narrowly missing his target.
CCTV footage captured Daley then running ahead of police officers and hiding behind railings, looking to ambush them.
As one officer passed, Daley lunged out and took a flying kick that hit the cop's upper-thigh.
When the officer fell to the ground, Daley ran off and was seen on social media footage cheering and celebrating his attack with the crowd.
CCTV in the area picked up Daley and he was arrested later that day in Parliament Square.
Daley, from Dagenham, east London, appeared in court and pleaded guilty to one charge of violent disorder.
At the London Inner Crown Court on Thursday (July 29), he was handed a 20-month prison term, but spared jail as the sentence was suspended for two years.
He was also ordered to do 100 hours unpaid work, go to a probation programme for 30 days and pay a victim surcharge of £200.
After the sentencing, Detective Constable Steve Nicholls from the Met’s Public Order Crime Team, described the behaviour directed at officers as "sickening" and "thuggish".
He said today (Mon): "It is sickening to see someone treat a police officer with such thuggish behaviour.
"Despite being outnumbered, those officers were trying to help a TV film crew who were being subjected to scenes of violence and hostility.
"It is deeply worrying to see a crowd of people become so aggressive to police officers.
"Thanks to the excellent CCTV footage on Whitehall, which captured the assault in its entirety, we were able to identify Daley swiftly and arrest him later that day in Parliament Square.
"Daley has been spared jail on this occasion, but if he offends again he can be sure to spend many nights behind bars."