EDL supporter punched police horse eight times at Blackburn demo

An English Defence League supporter who violently attacked a police horse during demonstrations in Blackburn has been sentenced.

The town’s magistrates heard Robert Gavin Tromans punched the animal eight times about the neck as police formed a mounted cordon to control a crowd in Northgate. Tromans, 29, of Beverley Road, West Bromwich, pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour last month. He has now been ordered to do 120 hours unpaid work and pay £85 costs.

Peter Wilde, prosecuting, said the mounted officer described the crowd as ‘volatile and angry’. Tromans tried to push through the cordon of mounted officers and PC Palmer Davies pushed him back. He grabbed her by the wrist and tried to pull her down.

Mr Wilde said: “She was able to release his grip and he then started punching her horse about the neck with a clenched fist. He landed about eight blows.”

Andrew Church-Taylor, defending, said Tromans, a former soldier, was a supporter of the EDL but not a member and had attended the rally with an organised coach party. He was making his way back to the coach when the police blocked the way with the mounted cordon.

He said: “He found himself being pushed against the horse and the horse was pushing back. He says the horse stood on his foot and he showed the bruises it caused to an officer when he was being interviewed after his arrest. In these circumstances he became annoyed and there was an exchange of words with the officer. His intention was to get back to his coach and not to cause any trouble.”

The EDL protest in Blackburn on April 2 saw 2,000 people take part in Northgate outside King George’s Hall.

A separate counter-demo took place at Sudell Cross.

A 48 year old man took a swing at a police officer on duty at the English Defence League rally in Blackburn in April. Blackburn magistrates heard Patrick Joseph Doyle caught the officer on the temple and knocked his helmet off. And the officer had to follow Doyle into a hostile crowd in order to execute an arrest.

Doyle, of Cobourg Close, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer in the execution of his duty. He was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months, made subject to community supervision for 12 months and ordered to pay £85 costs.

This is Lancashire

Thanks to Gregg for the heads-up