Charlie Gilmour, son of Pink Floyd guitarist, jailed for protest violence

Student son of David Gilmour jailed for 16 months after admitting violent disorder at student fees demonstrations The son of the Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour has been jailed for 16 months for going on a drink and drug-fuelled rampage at a student fees protest. Charlie Gilmour admitted violent disorder after joining thousands demonstrating in Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square in London last year. During a day of riots he was seen hanging from a union flag on the Cenotaph and leaping on to the bonnet of a Jaguar car that formed part of a royal convoy. He pleaded guilty in May to violent disorder and was warned by the judge Nicholas Price QC that he could face prison. “You must understand that your plea of guilty to violent disorder is a serious matter and it may be that the proper course would be one of immediate custody.” Gilmour was found on Friday to have also hurled a rubbish bin at the vehicle. The court heard that the Cambridge University student had turned to drink and drugs after being rejected by his biological father, the writer Heathcote Williams, and had taken LSD and diazepam in the hours leading up to the violence. Gilmour’s rock star father and his mother, the writer Polly Samson, watched from the public gallery as the 21-year-old was told he must serve half the jail term behind bars. Passing sentence at Kingston upon Thames crown court in Surrey, Price accepted that Gilmour’s antics at the Cenotaph on Whitehall did not form part of the violent disorder, but accused him of disrespect to the war dead. “Such outrageous and deeply offensive behaviour gives a clear indication of how out of control you were that day,” he said. “It caused public outrage and understandably so.” Gilmour’s conduct at the war memorial had prompted a deluge of “vituperative and in many cases obscene” emails and other forms of communication, the judge told him. These were, the judge added, “not just to you but, it is with deep regret, to your whole family, who were of course totally blameless”. Gilmour, who apologised afterwards for his behaviour, had claimed he had not realised the significance of the Cenotaph – an excuse the judge scoffed at. “For a young man of your intelligence and education and background to profess to not know what the Cenotaph represents defies belief,” he said. “You have shown disrespect to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, to those who fell defending this country.” Crime Pink Floyd Tuition fees Higher education Students Student politics guardian.co.uk

Posted by on July 15, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.