Woman who hit police horse during disorder jailed

Elly-Jayne Cox has been jailed for 26 months

A woman who hit a police horse during a violent city protest has been jailed for 26 months.

Elly-Jayne Cox, 33, of Bishopsworth, Bristol, also spat at and kicked officers during the unrest.

She pleaded guilty to violent disorder in August and was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Friday.

Det Ch Insp Tom Herbert said her actions "were truly disgusting and completely intolerable". The court was told she also used "vile" language throughout the disorder and threw objects into crowds of people.

The unrest occurred when protesters and counter protesters gathered near Castle Park on 3 August.

Tensions were running high across the country after the killing of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance party in Southport, Merseyside.

A total of 52 people have been arrested in the investigation

Cox's offending was captured on bodycam footage.

Judge William Hart told the court that Cox "will never understand" why she behaved as she did and that she showed "extreme violent behaviour" towards police officers and the public.

'Truly disgusting behaviour'

Mr Herbert added that Cox "was front and centre of the disgraceful violence".

"She is the 28th person to be sentenced for their involvement in the shameful scenes we saw that day," he said.

A total of 52 people have been arrested and 43 charged in the ongoing police investigation.

Images of a number of people detectives want to speak to as part of their investigation have been released, external by Avon and Somerset Police.