Weymouth man jailed for two years for punching police officer during protests
A 38-year-old man who punched a police officer in the face during the Weymouth protests has been sentenced to prison.
Jason Barry Francis, from Weymouth, was jailed for two years after pleading guilty at Bournemouth Crown Court on Monday (12 August) to violent disorder and assault of an emergency worker.
He was part of a group involved in an anti-immigration protest which led to violent disorder on Weymouth Esplanade on Sunday 4 August.
Local council CCTV cameras and third-party videos posted to social media showed Francis moving towards a police line pushing and kicking out at officers.
He then went on to punch an officer in the face before backing away into the crowd.
Following reviews of the video footage and enquiries by detectives, Francis was identified and arrested by officers at his home address on Thursday 8 August 2024 and subsequently charged.Assistant Chief Constable Mark Callaghan, of Dorset Police, said, “This conviction demonstrates our commitment to the relentless pursuit of criminality in the wake of the disorder which took place during the protests in Weymouth."“Our officers attended the protests with only one thing in mind – to keep members of the public safe – and it was totally unacceptable for one of them to be assaulted in this way in the line of duty."
"I hope that this conviction will act as a deterrent for those who are looking to cause disorder in the future."“We will continue to facilitate peaceful protests, but if people are intent on committing public disorder or criminal offences, they will be dealt with robustly as such behaviours will not be tolerated."“We are fully prepared to respond to incidents of disorder and we have a full command structure in place to ensure there is minimal disruption to local communities who can approach officers should they have any concerns.”
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