May 3, 2018 3.44 pm This story is over 76 months old

Man fined for assault on police officer

Troubled flared up far right rally.

A 43-year-old man has been fined for assaulting a police officer at a National Front rally in Grantham last year.

Benjamin Wood of Robertson Road in Bristol attended to oppose the rally in the town centre on August 19, 2017, and was arrested after trouble flared up at the event.

Wood was convicted of two offences — assaulting a police officer and using threatening or abusive words or behaviour with intent to cause or provoke violence.

The police officer who Wood assaulted was not seriously injured.

Wood was handed a 12 month conditional discharge, fined £300 and ordered to pay half of the court costs at Lincoln Magistrates Court on Monday, April 30.

Chief Inspect Simon Outen from Lincolnshire Police said: “During the protest in Grantham town centre in August 2017, there were individuals whose intent and actions were not in keeping with that ethos, meaning our response had to be robust in order to maintain law and order.

“Consequently an individual has now been convicted of assaulting a police officer and an offence under the Public Order Act, underlining our commitment in Lincolnshire Police to ensure people demonstrate in a peaceful manner and our determination to deal with those who do not wish to do so.”