A City rioter was a walking ‘time bomb’ during the

A City rioter was a walking ‘time bomb’ during the violent demonstrations last summer after ten years earlier watching the brutal axe murder of his mother, a court heard today.

(Friday)

Just a 10-year-old schoolboy when he helplessly watched his mother killed by
his step-father – and his sister attacked with the same weapon – the 21-year-old is believed to have suffered from unrecognised post-traumatic stress disorder ever since.

Andrew Saunders was captured on film in the vanguard of a mob of demonstrators attacking police in the historic Square Mile.

But London’s Southwark Crown Court heard Saunders could explode into violence at the mere sight of a woman being mistreated.

‘Obviously if any violence is directed towards a woman in front of him, then he is a time bomb,’ said Judge George Bathurst-Norman.

‘What happens is when one officer is restraining a woman, he is a time bomb waiting to go off.

‘

Saunders, of (10) Mint Walk, Goldsworth Park, Woking, Surrey, admitted two charges of violent disorder on June 18 last year – the day when the ‘Stop the City’ demonstration descended into mayhem, leaving a multimillion bill for damage in its wake.

The judge said normally he would impose a 15 month prison sentence for the offences but called for further medical reports in the hope of securing Saunders treatment under Section 3 of the Mental Health Act.

The court heard because of waiting lists and the availability of hospital beds ‘amazingly’ the defendant had never received treatment.

The judge added: ‘His background is as disturbing as anyone could possibly imagine.

‘

Ian Acheson, prosecuting, said during the ‘prolonged incidents of extreme violence’ of the disturbances, police had formed a cordon in a bid to protect the London International Financial Futures Exchange.

‘An officer within the cordon saw this defendant run towards the lines and throw something from about 15 yards which shattered at feet of a brother officer,’ said Mr Acheson.

‘He went back into the crowd and emerged moments later to run within 10 yards of the lines and raised a large lump of breeze block with both arms and hurled it at police, hitting a riot shield.

‘

The barrister said the mob then advances, Saunders taunting police from the front.

He said video evidence later showed a number of rioters again throwing missiles at police in the entrance of the Liffe building.

‘It seems this defendant threw at least one missile, a beer bottle, and appeared to be congratulating a fellow rioter by patting him on the back.

‘

Moments later Saunders was again attacking police lines, ‘wielding’ a five feet long ‘in a threatening manner’ at police.

And still armed with the stave, he was then seen to hurl yet another missile.

Later still, Saunders was part of the crowd trying to smash its way into yet another financial house.

‘Security guards heard a sound like a gun shot as the windows, all four ground floor windows, were stoved in – and, indeed, the reception window was beaten in with a metal pole,’ said Mr Acheson.

The video footage later showed the pole to be a fire hydrant key.

‘During the melee fire hydrant had been set off,’ he explained.

Evan Nuttall, defending, said ‘distressing’ reports made it clear Saunders had suffered a tragic upbringing.

‘He has suffered through one of the most gruesome upbringings, in watching his step-father brutally murder his mother and attack his sister while he was helpless to do anything about it,’ he said.

‘Clearly it had a huge impact on him.

‘

He added: ‘Although he does not suffer continuous post-traumatic stress disorder, he has episodes.

‘

And he said Saunders had twice attempted suicide.

The judge said after reading the reports he was prepared to take an ‘exceptional’ course.

He said he was sufficiently concerned to order a medical report.

Sentence was adjourned until next month.

ends