Protestor who smashed Powys MP's windows in compensation appeal

Wayne Robert Powell smashed 16 panes of glass at the Conservative party’s High Street office in Welshpool on the afternoon of July 7, informing staff members inside of his intentions before proceeding to use a hammer and chisel to break the glass.

The 53-year-old then phoned the police himself to inform them he had committed a crime. When police officers arrived on the scene he had gagged himself with black tape and held up a sign that read ‘This is what happens when you ban peaceful protest’, admitting he’d carried out the attack before turning himself in.

Powell said the protest was borne out of the Conservative UK Government’s plans to push through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill – which he claims will make the right to protest “impossible”.

Wayne Powell pictured with supporters following his initial appearace at Welshpool Magistrates Court. Photo by Kill the Bill Montgomeryshire

Powell escaped immediate custody after pleading guilty to criminal damage – he was instead sentenced to two months imprisonment, which was suspended for a year, last month at Welshpool Magistrates Court. Powell, of Bryn-y-Gog, Machynlleth, wore a ‘Black Lives Matter’ t-shirt at an earlier hearing, with fellow protestors attending both court dates and silently protesting outside the court building.

As part of his sentence he was also ordered to pay compensation of £1,500 in respect of the broken windows. He also has to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and pay £85 costs.

But an appeal hearing at Mold Crown Court on Friday (September 10) saw the compensation reduced to £500.

Philip Clemo told the court prosecutors had originally sought £6,000 in compensation from Powell to replace the windows, due to it being a listed building and also in light of new measures brought in to protect government buildings following the murder of Labour politician Jo Cox in June 2016.

  A gagged Wayne Powell speaks with a police officer. Photo by Kill the Bill Montgomeryshire

Mr Clemo read from a victim impact statement provided by office manager James Llewellyn, who said: “Even if he had no intention of causing us any physical harm we were not to know this. He deliberately smashed panes of glass which completely covered office in shards.

“It was a miracle no-one was injured by the flying glass. This was not acceptable behaviour – irrespective of any political grievances.”

Acting for Powell, Anna Price said: “I would ask the court to treat him as someone of previous good character.

“He receives Universal Credit of £300 a month, out of which he pays £100 rent and £20 life insurance, leaving him £180 to live on. A collection order for the compensation made was either £20 or £30, he can’t quite remember.

Police were called by Wayne Powell himself after he'd committed the act of criminal damage. Photo by Kill the Bill Montgomeryshire

“But, if £20, that would take him 75 months (six years) to repay the £1,500; if £30 it would take 50 months (just over four years) so I would ask the court to reconsider the amount of compensation ordered.”

Recorder Simon Mills said: “When something out of the blue happens like this nobody quite knows the extent to which the person might be willing to go. It’s right to point out they were not injured by what he did. He didn’t seek to hide what he’d done and has admitted what he did.

“He explained very eloquently in a document that he prepared for these proceedings. He did it as a protest; this bill is a matter upon which he has strongly held views which this court acknowledges some agree with and some disagree with.

“We’ve come to the conclusion the magistrates were correct to impose the sentence of suspended imprisonment so we don’t interfere with that. However, we take the view the compensation order made is excessive on the grounds of Mr Powell’s ability to pay.

“Broadly speaking, someone should be able to pay a financial penalty within 12 months, and this order is quite beyond Mr Powell, but we still think he should be subject to an order for compensation, so we reduce it to £500.”