Man jailed for 10 months for kicking police officer at Whitehall disorder

Ozzie Cush, 20, confronted Metropolitan Police officers before hitting one with his foot at a demonstration near Trafalgar Square on July 31.

Cush stuck his middle finger at the officer before kicking him (Crown Prosecution Service/PA)

A man who kicked a police officer during large-scale disorder in Whitehall has been jailed for 10 months.

Ozzie Cush, 20, confronted a group of Metropolitan Police officers before hitting one with his foot at a demonstration near Trafalgar Square on July 31.

Appearing in custody at Inner London Crown Court on Friday, the defendant wore a grey t-shirt and spoke only to confirm his name.

Prosecutor Alex Agbamu told the court a group of officers were called to deal with a demonstration in Whitehall shortly after 6pm on July 31 that had been organised by so-called “cultural nationalists”.

Around 9.15pm, the officers followed demonstrators in the direction of Trafalgar Square, having enforced a Section 35 dispersal order and previously monitored those who had gathered outside Downing Street.

Mr Agbamu said Cush then walked into the path of one officer, Pc Philip Munt, before he “kicked out” at him.

“There was no provocation and there was simply no need for the defendant to have acted how he did,” the prosecutor said.

“The defendant’s shod foot made contact with his officer’s right hand.”

A video played in court showed the defendant approaching a group of police officers just outside Trafalgar Square before raising his leg at one of the officers and subsequently being detained.

The officer suffered some immediate pain but had no lasting injuries from the incident.

Cush, of Reading, pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

He was sentenced to 46 weeks’ detention in a young offenders’ institution at Inner London Crown Court on Friday, of which he must serve up to half of the sentence.

The defendant had two previous convictions relating to criminal damage and had been on bail awaiting sentence for one of the convictions at the time of the assault.

Sentencing, Judge Benedict Kelleher said the offence displayed “a complete contempt” for the force and was “clearly deliberate”.

He added: “Your actions also ran the risk of inflaming the wider situation and encouraging others to attack the police.”

The judge said a custodial sentence was appropriate in order to “deter other from engaging in similar behaviour”.

When questioned by police on Wednesday, Cush said he was not part of the protest and had been “run at” by the officers.

Alex Granville, defending, said Cush was “a troubled young man” who had been on a day trip to London visiting filming locations used in the Harry Potter film franchise.

Mr Granville acknowledged the “the wider picture” of national disorder had to be considered but said the defendant had learnt “a valuable lesson” from the incident.

He said: “This is not a malicious moment, it is immaturity and poor decision-making, and a total lapse in his thinking skills.”

The Metropolitan Police arrested 111 people after officers were attacked and subjected to assault during the July 31 protest.

Adele Kelly, deputy chief crown prosecutor with CPS London North, said: “This was a wholly unprovoked attack by a young man who had absolutely no reason to conduct himself in the way that he did.

“These officers were working to ensure the safety of all those present and instead were met with disgraceful resistance.

“For whatever reason, Ozzie Cush decided to attack an individual for simply doing their job – a decision he can now mull over in custody.

“We hope this, and other sentences passed recently, remind all those considering using violence to demonstrate that you will face the full consequences.”