Tuesday 12 July 2016

UNITE Union Officer is jailed for 12 months for violent disorder

Unite the Union Workplace Organiser and Liverpool Against the Cuts activist Michelle Smith, was today jailed for twelve months for throwing bricks at opposing protesters at a march in Dover this year.

Smith, who is a North West regional organiser for UNITE the union, and describes herself as an 'Anti- Fascist" was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court.

Smith also seems to be the contact for UNITE's General Secretary Len McCluskey according to this post made on Facebook.

Jeremy Corbyn for PM

The Mum-of-two had travelled from her home in Liverpool to join a left-wing march against racism in the town.But the £37,000-a-year official with Unite The Union was caught on camera throwing rocks at far-right demonstrators.

Judge Adele Williams watched a 14-minute composite video showing the 41-year-old, sporting a Russian-style hat, joining in the battle as police tried to keep the two factions apart.

Smith, of Sheppard Avenue, in Bowring Park, Huyton, was seen on at least four occasions hurling missiles over the heads of officers as people around her shouted obscenities, she was filmed throwing objects at protestors, and at least one also struck a Police officer.

She is finally seen fighting with a woman near the BP garage and later handed herself in to police.

Now she has been jailed for a year after pleading guilty to violent disorder in the town.

Prosecutor Andrew Espley said Smith became involved in what had started as an anti-immigration demonstration and she was part of a counter demonstration.

DC Tom Banks told Canterbury Crown Court police had 500 hours of footage from the clashes on January 30.

He said Smith was seen to throw objects on four occasions before she ended up fighting with another woman.

A senior probation officer, Linda Jaycock, who interviewed Smith prior to sentence, said she had come to Dover as part of an anti-racist demonstration and claimed she came under attack from the rival group.

Jailing her, the judge said she had read testimonies of Smith’s responsible work, which contrasted with her acting highly irresponsible when the violence began.

“The responsible decision would have been to leave the area at once,” said the judge.

“It is a tragedy you involved yourself in these events.”

Michelle can be contacted now at:

Michelle Smith 08/06/1975,
HM Prison Bronzefield,
Woodthorpe Road,
Shepperton,
Ashford,
TW15 3JZ.


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