MCLEOD:INSPECTOR’S SON SPARED JAIL FOR STORMING TORY HQ DURING PROTEST

A police inspector’s son who stormed Tory headquarters during the tuition fee protests has walked free from court.

Adam McLeod, 20, claimed he took a lift to the roof the Millbank tower to enjoy the view of the city.

The London Metropolitan University student was convicted of aggravated trespass after a trial at City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court last week after claiming he mistakenly thought the building was derelict.

McLeod was spared jail but ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid community work and pay £200 towards the cost of his trial.

District Judge Elizabeth Roscoe said: ‘You’re obviously an intelligent and capable young man, otherwise you wouldn’t have got into university and you wouldn’t have such good references.

‘I’ve absolutely no doubt that when you were there you knew it isn’t alright to go into a building in those circumstances.

‘I don’t believe that you thought it was abandoned, but I do believe you arrived after the most serious parts of the disorder.’

Hundreds of rioters invaded the building on November 10 last year causing about £170,000 worth of damage.

They smashed windows, fought police and set fire to placards as around 2,000 members of staff were evacuated.

Marauding protestors then headed to the seventh-floor roof of the building where Edward Woollard threw a fire extinguisher over the side.

The 18-year-old was later jailed for 32 months for violent disorder.

By the time McLeod arrived the situation was starting to calm down.

Robert Short, prosecuting, said: ‘There were some 2,000 members of staff who were caught up in the building.

‘By his presence with a number of others, Mr McLeod has caused them aggravation.’

Giving evidence the student said: ‘There were about 200 or so protesters out front.

‘Someone was playing a stereo from a generator and a few were dancing, others had lit bonfires. It was a very relaxed atmosphere.’

Police were in front of broken windows, but they were ‘tolerating’ the demonstrators, he said.

‘We went around the back through the open door. It seemed just a good chance to have a look at central London,’ he added.

‘The building was in disrepair, it seemed to me to be an abandoned building.’

The court was told McLeod’s father is a police inspector in Newcastle, where the family live. He had attempted to travel down to see his son be sentenced, but was delayed and missed the hearing.

McLeod, of Well Street, Hackney, east London, was convicted of aggravated trespass.
ENDS