Ex Soldier is Jailed for His Anticoalition Protest Attack on Five Police Cars
Wednesday, 19th January, 2011 05:23:27 PM
Source: http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/news/Ex-soldier-jailed-protest-attack/article...
A former soldier has been jailed for 21 days after he smashed five police cars with a hammer to "make a stand" against the coalition government.
Steve White, from Newquay in Cornwall, told a court he had been denied basic human rights and had been "left dying" in a caravan by the side of the road all winter.
He said he had been refused benefits and the attack on the police cars was the only way he could think of making a protest.
White, 59, damaged the cars parked by Newquay Police Station late on Thursday afternoon.
After denting five Ford Focus patrol cars – causing £2,900 of damage – he then handed himself in and appeared at Bodmin Magistrates' Court the next day charged with criminal damage.
The former paratrooper, who has no previous convictions, told the court: "I want to go to prison as a protest to the Government which has denied me my basic rights. They've left me dying in a lay-by.
"This was all I could think of as a protest – I want to make a stand."
Chairman of the bench Sue Tudor told the ex-corporal: "The court has no choice but to impose a custodial sentence. The foolishness of your actions is difficult to understand.
"You claim to be protesting, but your actions will disrupt the use of vehicles which are there to protect the public."
Sergeant Bob Murray, of Newquay Police, said it was not a victimless crime.
"He said he didn't want to do anything that would have an impact on us, but this has.
"The cars will be off the road for repairs and it will cost money that we would rather have spent elsewhere."
White is said to have written to his sister, who lives in Essex, and the police, explaining why he committed the crime.
The former skydiving expert, who fought in Africa during the late 1970s and early 1980s, has previously spoken of how he came to be in his current position.
He claimed to have spent the last seven months locked in battle with the welfare system after losing a finger in a circular saw accident which meant he was unable to continue work as a campsite maintenance manager.
He received sick pay until his contract ran out at the start of December, but then says he was often left with just £10 to pay for food and gas after rent.
Several applications for housing benefit and disability allowance failed, he claimed, forcing him to move his caravan into a lay-by near St Newlyn East in Cornwall.
He received Employment and Support Allowance of £65 a week which was withdrawn in October. White said he is now pursuing this, believing it to be a clerical error.
Within the past few weeks, he has secured £47 a week in injuries disablement benefit – but said it was still not enough.
A spokesman for the Department of Work and Pensions was unable to comment on the case.
This story has been read 348 times.
Most Viewed Stories
Two Teenagers Arrested After Newquay Treviglas School Fire
A school in Cornwall has been severely damaged by fire. ...
No. 1 story. Read the full story
Lads on Sea Sun and Sky
A REALITY show will follow ten single blokes on the hunt for...
No. 2 story. Read the full story
Newquays New Four Screen Cinema
class="first">The long awaited new state-of-the-art four-scr...
No. 3 story. Read the full story
Official Handover of New Newquay Cinema
Construction services firm ISG Pearce Ltd has completed the ...
No. 4 story. Read the full story
Newquay Landlord Fined For Fire Safety Breaches
A landlord from Newquay has been fined for numerous fire saf...
No. 5 story. Read the full story
Top Business Stories
Official Handover of New Newquay Cinema
Construction services firm ISG Pearce Ltd has completed the ...
No. 1 story. Read the full story
Increase In New Year Orders For Newquay Based IT Experts
An IT support specialist in north Cornwall has seen a rise i...
No. 2 story. Read the full story
Cornish Bakery Sends Haggis Pasties To Scotland
Crantock is helping Scots celebrate Burns Night by serving u...
No. 3 story. Read the full story
Concern as Subway Seeks to Open up to 21 Hours a Day
SUBWAY sandwich shop in Newquay could soon be open up to 21 ...
No. 4 story. Read the full story
BID Aims to Build Cleaner Brighter Busier Newquay
IMPROVING Newquay's flagging image, holding more events and ...
No. 5 story. Read the full story
