Charlie Gilmour banned from London during Olympics

9:56am Tuesday 10th July 2012 in News By Anna Roberts, Crime reporter

OLYMPIC BAN: Charlie Gilmour OLYMPIC BAN: Charlie Gilmour

The son of Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour is claiming he has been banned from entering London during the Olympic Games.

Former Lancing College pupil Charlie Gilmour, who lives in Hove with his father and mother, author Polly Samson, said that he is deemed a threat because of his criminal antics during student protests in 2010.

He claimed the probation service and the Metropolitan Police had decided that he was not allowed into London while the games were running.

In an article in a national newspaper, Gilmour said: “It’s lucky I gave up my childhood dream of high-jumping for Britain because I am banned from staying in London during the Games.

“The Metropolitan Police and the probation service decided I pose too much of a threat, which shows how much faith they have in the rehabilitative powers of the British penal system.”

Gilmour was jailed for 16 months but released after four months.

Riots During a day of riots he was seen hanging from a Union flag on the Cenotaph and leaping on to the bonnet of a Jaguar car in a royal convoy.

At Kingston Crown Court he admitted violent disorder after joining thousands demonstrating in London’s Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square in 2010.

Gilmour, who was serving a prison sentence at HMP Wandsworth at the time of the London riots last August, also spoke about his fears that the jail system was desensitising criminals.

He told how prisoners cheered as parts of London went up in flames. He said: “I kept myself out of fights, but not a week went by without me seeing someone getting beaten up, or hearing about an inmate being stabbed or strangled.

“Prisons are criminal societies, and violence is what keeps the whole thing turning. Once you’ve become desensitised to violence, you think nothing of it.”

A Met spokesman said they had no comment to make on Gilmour’s claim.

A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said they could not comment on individual cases. She added: “Offenders on probation licence are subject to a strict set of conditions and controls.

“They are liable to recall to custody if they breach their conditions or their behaviour indicates that it is no longer safe to allow them to remain in the community.”

Comments(19)

Ligand Fields says...
10:00am Tue 10 Jul 12

Still, at least his dad made poverty history. I was on holiday in Burkina Faso last year and you would not BELIEVE how wealthy they all are now, after Pink Floyd played a pop concert.

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Maxwell's Ghost says...
10:49am Tue 10 Jul 12

The boy's musings about prison life say more about his ignorance of real society and prisons than giving us normal folk any unknown insight into prison life.
I am still trying to understand why this boy did not know that the Cenotaph was a memorial to those who lost their life in conflict.
I also hope the prisoners were able to give him an education about that because his posh private school seems to have failed.
The boy really is very ignorant.

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Ligand Fields says...
10:58am Tue 10 Jul 12

Well when you look at who his father is! Purveyor of vacuous drug-addled slo-mo rock to stockbrokers and mondeo men. NEVER TRUST A HIPPY.

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mimseycal says...
11:32am Tue 10 Jul 12

Poor boy ... time to grow up David me lad.

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mimseycal says...
11:34am Tue 10 Jul 12

Oops ... I meant Charlie of course. I've given up on David ;)

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rolivan says...
11:45am Tue 10 Jul 12

No mention of the fact He has been allowed to finish his University Studies.The rest of the population would have been refused re-entry.Well those without plenty of money for Solicitors that is.

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whereisthe...? says...
11:46am Tue 10 Jul 12

Fair enough they ban him - after all, they banned the cheating bankers from banking, and all M.P.s who cheated expenses are banned from similar things....

Doh..!

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Nick Brighton says...
12:22pm Tue 10 Jul 12

It's hardly surprising. He committed a crime of disorder, was imprisoned and is now out on licence. It is possible he'd repeat the offence, so is banned from London during the Olympics. I can't see a problem.

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mimseycal says...
12:33pm Tue 10 Jul 12

I'd have thought this is along the same principle that prevents convicted football hooligans from travelling to matches overseas ... pre-emptive rather than reactive.

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Wiggsy says...
12:35pm Tue 10 Jul 12

Dry your eye's Charlie...........

Twice the article states that you "claim" to have been banned - one would have thought that with a decent education you'd know whether you were or were not banned. ie received it in writing and could understand the content to determine you are not permitted to be in London during the games!

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GIVE UP says...
1:52pm Tue 10 Jul 12

He's not banned he just likes to think he is...He's full off himself...RICH BOY want to be BAD BOY...Another Guy Richie

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Ligand Fields says...
1:55pm Tue 10 Jul 12

Charlie seems to focus on the violence inherent in the system. I must say I'm not much interested in violence. If I go to prison, it'll be for the sex and drugs.

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John Steed says...
3:33pm Tue 10 Jul 12

typical, the main point of the story is lost on simply slagging him or his dad off. well he done the crime, he done the time, he also got educated as to what the Cenotaph represents , it is therefore surprising to find he is banned from london during the olympics well charlie can at least watch the sailing (weymouth) and the rowing (Eton) if he wants and take heart that the miracle working olympic flame that is giving sussex the feel good factor will be coming past your door more or less, but I would stay at home, incase the powers to be think you might try and blow it out.
its not a very high percentage, but not every prisoner reoffends

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mimseycal says...
3:53pm Tue 10 Jul 12

Some ex-prisoners do however and pre-emptive measures are always better than profound apologies once the damage has been done. ;)

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MrIsaac says...
4:50pm Tue 10 Jul 12

Who on earth decided it was a good idea Charlie Gilmour should write the press about being banned from the Olympics? Doesn't this family have a good publicist? This (very) young man genuinely wants to sound thoughtful about his experiences but in the end is perceived by most (see above) as being a whining entitled brat. Why couldn't he have just remained silent instead of re-opening the inevitable floodgates of scorn and contempt on himself and his adoptive father who has never pretended to be a saint. Obviously the first time round was not a Lesson Learned.
Silence is golden.

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AmboGuy says...
11:20pm Tue 10 Jul 12

He sounds like a SmashEDO spokesperson, all full of self importance but with nothing important to actually say!!

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GIVE UP says...
6:02am Wed 11 Jul 12

The Met and the ministry of justice both made no comment.... It's all in his own head so let him believe what he likes and maybe one day he'll wake up and realise no one cares

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mimseycal says...
6:51am Wed 11 Jul 12

Every time I see that photo up above I must admit to having a quiet chuckle. I bet the boy had an image of himself as some brave sans-culottes storming the Bastille ...

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ajpj says...
3:59pm Thu 12 Jul 12

I see the green eyed"Trolls" are back,don't they just love rubbishing people for any reason whatsoever ? ... carry on boys & girls, say what you like ... it's all Free ! ...

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