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| Man found guilty of assaulting security guard at Warwick University tuition fees protest | Man found guilty of assaulting security guard at Warwick University tuition fees protest |
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| A man has been found guilty of attacking a security guard during a student protest at the University of Warwick that was shut down by police last year. | A man has been found guilty of attacking a security guard during a student protest at the University of Warwick that was shut down by police last year. |
| Footage of officers waving a Taser in the air, pushing protesters and appearing to spray them with CS gas on 3 December last year caused outrage and prompted condemnation from Amnesty International. | Footage of officers waving a Taser in the air, pushing protesters and appearing to spray them with CS gas on 3 December last year caused outrage and prompted condemnation from Amnesty International. |
| West Midlands Police replied to criticism at the time by saying they disbanded the 20-strong sit-in calling for tuition fees to be scrapped after being called by the university to reports of a security guard being attacked. | West Midlands Police replied to criticism at the time by saying they disbanded the 20-strong sit-in calling for tuition fees to be scrapped after being called by the university to reports of a security guard being attacked. |
| Warning: This video contains very strong language | Warning: This video contains very strong language |
| On Thursday, a 25-year-old man was found guilty of common assault and causing fear and provoking violence at Coventry Magistrates’ Court. | On Thursday, a 25-year-old man was found guilty of common assault and causing fear and provoking violence at Coventry Magistrates’ Court. |
| Alistair Robinson, of Pershore Road, Birmingham, was sentenced to a 12 month community order, made to undertake 120 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £800 in costs and £150 compensation to the victim. | Alistair Robinson, of Pershore Road, Birmingham, was sentenced to a 12 month community order, made to undertake 120 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £800 in costs and £150 compensation to the victim. |
| A spokesperson for West Midlands Police said the 33-year-old guard “had been punched in the stomach and grappled with as he and a colleague attempted to lock the doors of the building to keep the large group of protesters out”. | A spokesperson for West Midlands Police said the 33-year-old guard “had been punched in the stomach and grappled with as he and a colleague attempted to lock the doors of the building to keep the large group of protesters out”. |
| He said that as officers attempted to arrest Robinson, who was not studying at Warwick, student Luke Dukinfield, of Radford Road in Leamington intervened. | He said that as officers attempted to arrest Robinson, who was not studying at Warwick, student Luke Dukinfield, of Radford Road in Leamington intervened. |
| Dukinfield, 20, was found guilty of causing fear and provoking violence. He was handed a 12 month community order, made to undertake 80 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £800 in costs and £60 victim surcharge. The sit-in at Warwick University was one of several protests against tuition fees around the country on the day | Dukinfield, 20, was found guilty of causing fear and provoking violence. He was handed a 12 month community order, made to undertake 80 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £800 in costs and £60 victim surcharge. The sit-in at Warwick University was one of several protests against tuition fees around the country on the day |
| Another 25-year-old man arrested at the same time and charged with causing fear and provoking violence was released without further action after no evidence was presented against him. | Another 25-year-old man arrested at the same time and charged with causing fear and provoking violence was released without further action after no evidence was presented against him. |
| Officers had been called to the University of Warwick’s Senate House building shortly before 4.40pm after reports of the assault. | Officers had been called to the University of Warwick’s Senate House building shortly before 4.40pm after reports of the assault. |
| Demonstrations were taking place across the country on the day as part of a national day of action for free education called by the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts. | Demonstrations were taking place across the country on the day as part of a national day of action for free education called by the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts. |
| A video of the Warwick for Free Education protest showed police shoving students and telling them to “back off” as screaming and shouting could be heard in the background. | A video of the Warwick for Free Education protest showed police shoving students and telling them to “back off” as screaming and shouting could be heard in the background. |
| A Taser was drawn and made a crackling noise as a warning but not fired, police said. | A Taser was drawn and made a crackling noise as a warning but not fired, police said. |
| During the disorder a taser was drawn and an audible and visible warning was issued to prevent further incidents. The taser was not fired | During the disorder a taser was drawn and an audible and visible warning was issued to prevent further incidents. The taser was not fired |
| Amnesty International UK’s arms control director Oliver Sprague said at the time that accounts raised “serious concerns”. | Amnesty International UK’s arms control director Oliver Sprague said at the time that accounts raised “serious concerns”. |
| “A Taser is only supposed to be used by police as a ‘distance-control’ weapon when confronting dangerous individuals - it should never be used as a crowd-control device,” he added. | “A Taser is only supposed to be used by police as a ‘distance-control’ weapon when confronting dangerous individuals - it should never be used as a crowd-control device,” he added. |
| “We’re not against CS gas or Tasers if used by well-trained police officers trying to prevent a death or a serious injury, but we’re worried that West Midlands Police are becoming increasingly trigger-happy with Tasers.” | “We’re not against CS gas or Tasers if used by well-trained police officers trying to prevent a death or a serious injury, but we’re worried that West Midlands Police are becoming increasingly trigger-happy with Tasers.” |
| The Coventry Telegraph reported that an inquiry into the “appropriateness” of the handling of the protest was launched in December. | |
| A spokesperson for West Midlands Police said: "The actions of two officers who attended the campus following reports of an assault on staff continue to be investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission." |