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A Merseyside union official has been jailed for a year for throwing rocks during an anti-racism demonstration in Dover.

Michelle Smith, 41, from Sheppard Avenue, Knowsley, travelled to the town on Saturday, January 30 to demonstrate against a rival far-right march taking place on the same day.

Smith, a £37,000 a year official with Unite, was filmed throwing objects at protestors, and at least one struck a police officer.

Her photograph was issued to the media in an attempt to identify her, which led to her solicitor emailing Kent Police to arrange an interview.

Police arrested 70 people after fighting broke out between the two groups and are continuing to review hundreds of hours’ worth of footage captured on CCTV, social media and elsewhere.

Smith was arrested in Liverpool in March and later admitted a charge of violent disorder.

She was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court on Tuesday.

Judge Adele Williams watched a 14-minute composite video showing Smith, sporting a Russian-style hat, joining in the battle as police tried to keep the two factions apart.

She could be seen hurling missiles over the heads of officers on at least four occasions as people around her shouted obscenities, before fighting with a woman near a petrol station.

Prosecutor Andrew Espley said Smith became involved in what had started as an anti-immigration demonstration and she was part of a counter demonstration.

A senior probation officer, Linda Jaycock, who interviewed Smith prior to sentence, said she had come to Dover as part of an anti-racist demonstration and claimed she came under attack from the rival group.

Ms Jaycock added Smith told how she had been involved in many demonstrations in the past which had always been peaceful.

She said: “She said she admits throwing missiles and knows she shouldn’t have done, but blamed it on a loss of control. She was later threatened by a skinhead.

“She works full-time as an official for the union and has done for 12 years.”

Benjamin Narain, defending, said Smith was genuinely sorry, but denies throwing at police.

He told the court: “This isn’t what she normally does. She did not go there with the intention of causing violence. This offending is an aberration, a complete lapse of judgement and out of character.”

The barrister said Smith was normally involved in community campaigning, attending council meetings, demonstrations against racists, public meetings, and organising a food bank.

He claimed she has been stalked and physically attacked at her place of work in Liverpool.

Jailing her, the judge said she had read testimonies of Smith’s responsible work, which contrasted with her acting highly irresponsible when the violence began.

She said: “The responsible decision would have been to leave the area at once.

“It is a tragedy you involved yourself in these events.”

Investigating officer PC Pete Frampton of Kent Police said: “The level of violence displayed on that day was truly shocking and Michelle Smith played a key role, often seen at the front of her group of protestors as they fought with others.

“The laws of this country allow peaceful protest but the actions of Smith and others arrested since then were most certainly not peaceful, nor what anyone would expect to witness in a civilised society.

“She is the thirteenth person to have been sentenced for her actions thus far, with some of those receiving prison sentences totalling almost 14 years.

“There are many more awaiting their day in court and I hope this sends a clear message that such violence will not be tolerated in Dover or anywhere else in Kent.”