A Northumberland business owner has been jailed for taking part in violent disorder during a Black Lives Matter counter protest.
David Pringle was part of a large group of counter-protesters that gathered at Grey's Monument in Newcastle city centre in 2020 when he was seen "squaring-up" to police and grappling with an officer. The 54-year-old was heard calling police "scum" as he "goaded" police dogs and their handlers throughout the day.
Pringle was one of many counter protesters - which included the North East Frontline Patriots and the Hells Angels - that were involved in large scale disorder on June 13 2020 which resulted in a number of officers, police dogs and horses sustaining injuries. A teenage girl was also taken to hospital with a head injury after she was struck by a bottle.
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On Friday, Pringle, of Front Street Court, Guide Post, Choppington, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court to be sentenced for violent disorder. He had pleaded guilty to the offence.
The court was told that Pringle had turned up to take part in a counter protest of a Black Lives Matter march, which was taking place at Grey's Monument in the city centre. At first the demonstration was peaceful, but it soon descended into violence, with objects being thrown at police.
Jolyon Perks, prosecuting, said: "From around 12.27pm, this defendant was at the Monument and had circulated an image of himself with his fists clenched near a group of young males. The defendant was consuming alcohol throughout the incident and was quite intoxicated.
"On CCTV footage he can be seen at the front of the counter protest and ignoring police requests to move. From 4.19pm he was stood with members of the Hells Angels engaging in goading dog handlers and service dogs. He was involved in attempting to provoke violence. He chose to remain among police horses and was staggering around and was threatening mounted officers."
Pringle - a father-of-two - was heard telling one officer to "f*** off" before calling another "scum" and was seen among people who were fighting with police. At one point, others pulled Pringle back in an effort to "curtail his behaviour". Mr Perks continued: "The defendant was squaring up to police officers in a boxing stance."
Pringle then moved to the area outside of Waterstones and was part of a group that were "barging" into police and was seen grappling with one officer and grabbing a baton. Due to his aggressive behaviour, officers physically restrained and arrested him before taking him to Wallsend police station. The court heard Pringle had eight previous convictions for eight offences and remained silent in interview.
Jeremy Barton, defending, said: "Having watched himself on CCTV he isn't impressed by his own behaviour, it's ugly. He accepts fully the case against him and what he's done. But whilst he was a part of that violent disorder as a whole, there was behaviour this defendant didn't take part in, nor would he approve with."
Mr Barton said Pringle is a "lover of animals" and said he attended the counter protest as he believed there was a "threat" to the Monument. He added that as a young man, Pringle was in the Armed Forces for 12 months before being medically discharged and went on to become the owner of a construction business.
Judge Edward Bindloss jailed Pringle for 30 months.
