Carpet fitter sorry for role in violence at Southport protest but says two-year jail term was too severe

A CARPET fitter who apologised for "stupidly" taking part in disorder after the Southport murders has protested that his two-year jail sentence was too harsh.

- Richard Ashmore and Andrew Drury

Cameron Bowling joined a demo against immigrants being housed in a hotel in Aldershot last July 31.

Bowling, 41, from Farnborough, Hants, admits hitting a window there and speaking to police but claims he left to fetch food with a friend before riot police turned up.

Three weeks later he was given two years at Winchester Crown Court for violent disorder.

He said: "I am sorry for going down there that day and it was a stupid thing to do to bang on the window, I didn't mean any harm to the people. But being jailed for two years is madness."

Bowling claimed people inside the hotel were "waving" at protesters to taunt them. He said his main reason for turning up was to show friends his new "Turkey teeth" veneers.

The keen footballer said he knew of police involvement only when he was phoned by officers while he was on holiday on Ibiza. When Bowling landed back at Gatwick he was handcuffed by four officers and given a police escort which, he alleged, made him feel like a "terrorist".

Hampshire Police said the demo was generally "peaceful" but objects were thrown and protesters behaved in a "threatening way towards those staying inside the hotel".

Violent

An officer also suffered minor injuries due to "mob-type" behaviour.

Three men were jailed after pleading guilty to violent disorder and other offences. A girl of 13 was given a 12-month referral order.