28 Oct 2011

Pink Floyd star’s son loses appeal

Charlie Gilmour, the son of Pink Floyd guitarist David, has lost a court of appeal challenge against his 16-month sentence for his behaviour at a student fees protest.

Pink Floyd star's son loses appeal (Getty)

Charlie Gilmour was sentenced earlier this year after going on a rampage at the student fees protest, which included swinging from the Cenotaph and leaping onto the bonnet of a car that formed part of the royal convoy.

He was convicted of violent disorder after a judge at Kingston Crown Court in south west London found that he threw a rubbish bin at the royal car. He also kicked at the window of Topshop on Oxford Street.

The judge at Kingston accepted that the antics at the Cenotaph did not form part of the violent disorder, but described them as “outrageous and deeply offensive behaviour”.

During a recent hearing Mr Gilmour’s barrister told the judges that the university student was intoxicated and did not realise he was swinging from the Cenotaph.

The Crown Court heard that he had turned to drink and drugs after being rejected by his biological father, writer Heathcote Williams, and had taken LSD and Valium in the hours leading up to the violence.

Appeal judges heard that he had “successfully reformed and rehabilitated himself” and, in particular, had addressed the “underlying drug and alcohol problems”.

However, they ruled that the judges were right to come to their initial conclusions.