A self-described anarchist was sentenced to an eight-month conditional sentence, on top of pretrial custody, for his attacks on three police vehicles during the G20 riots.

“I was surprised,” Ryan Rainville, 24, said moments after hearing Justice Mary Hogan announce his sentence in Old City Hall Court. “I was prepared to go back in. I'm an anarchist until I die.”

The judge gave him credit for three months of pre-trial custody. His remaining sentence consists of four months of house arrest and four months of curfew.

“Good luck,” the judge told him as she passed sentence. “I don't expect to see you back.”

Assistant Crown Attorney Elizabeth Nadeau had sought 12 to 14 months of jail time for the violence at the June 2010 economic summit in Toronto.

Outside the court, defence lawyer Indira Stewart said Rainville didn't have a criminal record before he was charged in August 2010. She added that he took responsibility for his actions by pleading guilty to three counts of mischief and a charge of failure to comply.

“He should be given the opportunity to go on with his life,” Stewart said.

Rainville was acquitted in a trial earlier this year of charges of obstructing police and assaulting police with a weapon.

About a dozen activists attended court, and Rainville hugged several of them in the hallway of the courthouse after hearing his sentence.

He said he hopes to study culinary arts in college.

Court earlier heard Staff Sgt. Graham Queen describe sitting in the front seat of his police cruiser as a black-clad mob attacked the parked car.

The windshield collapsed when a man jumped on it. Other protesters bashed the windows with sticks and pelted the vehicle with rocks and fruit.

One pole struck the police officer, who said it was the more frightening incident he’d experienced in his 23 years on the job.

Rainville admitted striking the car with a pole while it was parked on Queen St., just east of Spadina Ave. However, he also told court he didn't realize the police officer was inside.

He acknowledged that he smashed two more squad cars with a hammer.

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The Crown argued that Rainville did know Queen was sitting in the car when he struck it.

Rainville told court he is opposed to harming people but felt justified in committing property damage. During the trial, he described police as a "force of violence and repression."