Man, 81, sentenced after city centre protests

Keith Edwards, 81, pleaded guilty to assault by beating, after becoming "embroiled" in protests in Nottingham

An 81-year-old man who stamped on another man who was being arrested during protests in Nottingham city centre has been sentenced.

Keith Edwards, of Kinglake Place in The Meadows, Nottingham, was charged following demonstrations on 3 August.

On Monday, Edwards admitted assault by beating and was given a 28-day suspended sentence at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on Monday.

He is thought to be the oldest person to be charged in the wake of the disorder that broke out across the country following the killings of three young girls at a dance class in Southport.

Hundreds of people gathered in the city centre as part of demonstrations organised by rival groups.

Police arrested 15 people on the day, though the force said events remained "largely peaceful".

Denis Quinn, prosecuting, said Edwards had claimed he had gone into the city centre to buy a loaf of bread, but got "drawn into what was happening".

Hundreds of people gathered in Nottingham as part of demonstrations organised by rival groups on 3 August

In footage shown to the court, Edwards could be seen walking over to a man on the floor who was being detained by three police officers, and stamping on his leg.

He was also identified in an earlier clip, played in court, telling a protester "children killed in Southport by your friends".

In bodycam footage showed to the court, Edwards was told he was being detained for "kicking the man on the floor", to which he corrected the officer, saying "I stamped on his leg".

Jim Buckley, defending Edwards, added: "Clearly this was out of character."

Edwards had no previous convictions and told police he had never previously been arrested, the court heard.

'Wholly unnecessary'

During sentencing, district judge Sunil Khanna told Edwards he had, "until now", been a man of "impeccable character", but got himself embroiled in what he called "large-scale civil disorder".

He said: "A male who was being beaten up was detained by police.

"He was lying face-down on the floor, hands behind his back, three police officers on top of him with no threat to any person.

"Despite that, you walked up and stamped on his leg.

"It's beyond me why you felt the need to do this, because clearly, everything was under control, the police had everything under control – what you did was wholly unnecessary."

He added: "You've never done anything like this before and I'm sure you won't again."

Edwards was also ordered to pay court costs and a victim surcharge totalling £239.