Overview

• Caroline Leneghan was convicted of assault and criminal damage for smashing Dylan Fontaine’s phone during a pro-immigration rally in Bournemouth in August 2024.
• District Judge Orla Austin imposed a six-month prison sentence suspended for two years, citing Leneghan’s pregnancy and low risk of reoffending.
• Leneghan is prohibited from attending public demonstrations for two years and must pay compensation and court costs totaling £654.
• Critics, including Reform UK Bournemouth’s Martin Houlden, argue this sentencing reflects a double standard compared to harsher penalties for right-leaning protesters.
• A Home Affairs select committee report recently found no evidence of systemic bias in policing during last summer’s unrest following the Southport killings.