Following the pandemonium that erupted during the Bristol Kill the Bill protest last year, a woman who assaulted police and hurled missiles at a police line has become the 19th person to be jailed for rioting.
After the incident developed into a police onslaught on March 21 of last year, Charly Pitman, 24, denied any culpability.
After barely over an hour of deliberation, a jury today found her guilty of riot.
Pitman, who is from Easton, was accompanied by a sizable group of family members and friends as he appeared at Bristol Crown Court.
She was sentenced to three years in prison by Judge Julian Lambert, who stated: “You could and should have left the scene of massive public disruption, but you decided to stay and used violence.”
“You led a violent assault on police officers, kicking police shields, striking police officers, and finally hitting and kicking a police officer.
“You then appeared to launch a rocket toward the police line.”
“You were disrespectful in your response to requests for peaceful protest.”
“You were heard urging the mob to confront the cops,” the witness said.
According to prosecutor Emily Heggadon, the riot traumatized police personnel and resulted in high-value property damage.
She claimed that Pitman, a woman with a history of exemplary behavior, remained silent during the interview.
The defense attorney, Nerida Harford-Bell, claimed that her client had performed community service.
She watched the video of herself, according to Miss Harford-Bell.
She was without a doubt extremely humiliated and ashamed of herself for what she did.
The wrongdoing committed by Miss Harford-client, Bell’s she claimed, was brief and occurred in broad daylight.
She characterized Pitman as a “very fragile young woman” who had struggled with depression and anxiety.
The day in question, Pitman was not present at the Kill the Bill demonstration, which took place after a vigil in London in memory of Sarah Everard, the court heard.
She was in favor of women’s rights generally to be out on the streets, according to Miss Harford-Bell.
Miss Harford-Bell continued by saying that her client posed no threat to anyone.
She encouraged the judge to take the possibility of a suspended prison sentence into consideration.
Earlier, Detective Superintendent James Riccio stated: “Charly Pitman may not have employed the most violent methods, but she assumed a prominent position at the front of the mob, and her actions likely heightened tensions and inspired others to attack police officers.”
The jury’s decision to convict her was reached in a little over an hour, which emphasizes how obvious her offense was.
Although she claimed she wasn’t acting with others for a similar goal, the jurors apparently had no doubt that she had committed riot.