Judge brands mother-of-six ‘disgraceful’ for throwing a brick at police

Some more people have been sentenced this morning including a mother-of-six who threw a brick at police officers during a violent protest in Hartlepool.

Donna Conniff, of Alford Court in Hartlepool, was identified from CCTV and video footage from the protest in the town on 31 July.

The 40-year-old was dressed all in black and wearing sunglasses, and was also seen handing a brick to a juvenile who threw it towards police, and was part of a crowd of people who surged forwards at officers and was seen joining in with cheers as missiles were thrown.

Martin Scarborough, defending Conniff, told Teesside Crown Court that Conniff came across the protest, which had been advertised on social media, “by chance” at around 18:00 BST that evening.

Judge Francis Laird KC accepted Conniff, who earlier pleaded guilty to violent disorder, was remorseful, but said: “Your behaviour and the behaviour of others around you was truly disgraceful.”

Conniff has been jailed for two years and must serve up to half of her 24-month sentence in custody before being released on licence.

BBC News