Woman guilty of rioting at Bristol Kill the Bill protest

A woman who spat at officers, threw objects at them and hit them with a wooden stick during a Kill the Bill protest has been convicted of rioting.

Francesca Horn, 25, of Montpelier, Bristol, admitted a charge of violent disorder but had denied riot.

She is the 19th person to be convicted following the disorder outside Bridewell Police Station in Bristol City Centre in March last year.

Horn was released on bail to be sentenced on 22 June.

During the trial at Bristol Crown Court, footage from police officers' body cameras, CCTV and mobile phone footage was played to the jury.

In the footage, Horn was seen spitting at officers on multiple occasions and kicking their shields.

She was also captured throwing objects, including a police shield, at them and pulling a wing mirror off a police van.

Det Supt James Riccio, of Avon and Somerset Police, said: "Horn repeatedly directed vile verbal abuse at officers throughout the course of the incident and spat at them several times.

"Her disgusting behaviour then escalated to physical abuse as she kicked at officers' shields, attacked them with a wooden stick and threw objects at them."

To date, 15 people have been jailed in connection with the riot.

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