Man jailed for Whitehall disorder said ‘I was there to buy meat for my mum’

A man jailed for violent disorder in Whitehall claimed he was in the area to buy meat for his ailing mother.

Jack Wood was sentenced to 13 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to violent disorder over the incident on July 31.

On Friday at Inner London Crown Court, Wood said footage showed him carrying a Tesco shopping bag that was filled with meat for his mother – who he cares for.

The man from Lakeside, Rainham, claimed the haul demonstrated he had not planned to attend the protest in advance.

James Manning, defending, put Wood’s instruction to Judge Benedict Kelleher.

The judge noted that Wood’s mother lives in Rainham and said “and he bought meat from Whitehall?” before concluding “that is not the best point”.

Wood got involved in the disorder at about 8pm, the court heard.

Judge Kelleher said footage showed Wood approaching the front of the crowd that was facing the line of police, and “there had by then been a number of particular spikes in disorder”.

Wood moved towards the line as other protesters pushed police, he said.

He was then seen and heard shouting abuse to officers beside others, and the judge said “by then it must have been obvious to you (that) it was creating a very volatile situation, and the police were doing their best to keep order”.

Sentencing Wood, he said: “(your actions) must be taken together with the actions around you”.

Wood had a previous conviction for possession of drugs, and had received a three-year football ban for public order offences in September 2020, which he breached.

In the same court, Jay Keeling, 27, of Hyland Way, Hornchurch , pleaded guilty to violent disorder over the same Whitehall incident.

He was imprisoned for 16 months after he pushed into police and threw a beer bottle towards them.

His parents expressed their “shock and remorse” after coming home from their 60th birthday celebrations to find their son was in custody, his defence barrister Gethin Payne said.

The court heard Keeling came from a “close-knit family”, none of whom had ever been arrested or convicted.

Mr Payne told the court “they asked me to pass on their shock and remorse” and “they are shocked more than anyone that their son got involved in this”.

Keeling had joined the authorised Whitehall protest in Richmond Terrace that became violent after an estimated 700 people arrived.

He was part of a breakaway group that left the permitted protest site, but was eventually moved back by police.

Shortly after 7.15pm, Keeling was seen turning around and pushing into the police line with his back facing them.

Judge Kelleher said: “You were pushed back by the police, and in fact over some metal railings by the police.

“It’s clear that that had made you even more angry and irate – within a few minutes of that you could be seen in other footage producing a beer bottle and throwing it above shoulder-height in an arch towards the police line.”

He added that there is “no suggestion that it hit anyone or caused any serious injuries”, but it was an “extremely dangerous thing to do and it’s only luck that means that you didn’t in fact cause serious injury”.

Judge Kelleher said Keeling knew it was a “volatile situation and (his) actions could make matters worse”.

He was of previous good character.