Student protests: Two bailed after London demonstration

Thousands of people gathered in central London on 9 December to protest against tuition fee increases

Two men accused of pulling a mounted police officer from a horse during a protest over tuition fees in central London have been bailed until 24 March.

Christopher Hilliard, 22, of Wilmslow, Cheshire, and a 17-year-old who cannot be identified, were charged with violent disorder on 9 December.

Another man, Justice Sey, 28, of East Finchley, north London, has been fined for criminal damage at the protest.

In all, six demonstrators appeared at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court.

Sey was ordered to pay £375 after admitting criminal damage by writing on a bus stop and a government building.

He was found with 12 cans of spray paint, which the court heard had been used to paint a mural in Brighton earlier in the day.

"I'm sorry I did it, but it doesn't change the fact I did it," Sey said after pleading guilty.

Bags 'were souvenir'

James Cross, 26, of Lewisham, south London, was given a community order for stealing evidence bags and a thigh guard used by police at a protest on 24 November.

Cross admitted taking the bags, which were a "souvenir of the afternoon", defence lawyer Robert Katz said.

He was given a community order, with a curfew requiring him to stay indoors between 2000 and 0400 every day until 8 April.

Also in court were Kevin Wilson-Webb, 50, of Kensington, west London, who denied stealing a helmet belonging to a police officer on 24 November.

He asked for a trial by jury and will next appear in court on 24 March.

And James Jeffal, 19, from Cricklewood, north-west London, pleaded not guilty to causing fear of unlawful violence at a subsequent protest on 30 November.

He is due to appear in court again on 3 March, with a trial due from 3 June.

Charlie Gilmour, the son of Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour, was due to appear at the court but his case was postponed until Friday.

He has been charged with violent disorder and stealing a mannequin leg on 9 December.