Man cautioned for throwing pint over BNP leader

A teenager who hurled a pint of Guinness over British National Party leader Nick Griffin has been cautioned by police.

The 18-year-old Stroud man admitted common assault against Mr Griffin and claimed it was a political protest. The incident on July 11 caused a storm which made it all the way from the Falcon Inn in Painswick to the House of Commons, with allegations and counter-allegations made in the aftermath.

The teenager, known as "Ben", admitted common assault after Mr Griffin made a complaint to Gloucestershire Constabulary on July 23. Speaking at the time, he said he caught a taxi to the village to confront Mr Griffin and left the pub voluntarily after he was sworn at by some of those present. When Mr Griffin left, the teenager threw the contents of a pint of Guinness over him - although not the glass. He said he was then asked to leave the Falcon before being spat on in the street and verbally abused by people outside.

After the incident hit the headlines, Stroud Labour MP David Drew raised the matter in the House of Commons, describing Ben as "totally upstanding" and said he was "given one hell of a hiding" after the incident.

Mr Drew said he was not prepared to see the BNP in his constituency. Then Mr Griffin made a complaint to the police. A Gloucestershire police spokeswoman said the 18-year-old attended Stroud police station and voluntarily admitted common assault on a 50-year-old man after the incident. She added he was given a caution.

BNP spokesman John Walker said objections to his party should come through the ballot box and not violence.

"It goes to show that people cannot go around taking liberties with elected members of the European Parliament," he said. "It's an unfortunate incident and the young man should have known better. If he does not like the BNP there are plenty of other parties he can vote for."

This is Gloucestershire