Freedom for jailed KU student rioter

By Anshu Pandit

 

A Kingston student who was jailed for attacking a building during last year’s student riots is “absolutely shell-shocked” to be released from prison and reinstated into university.
 

Fine art student James Heslip, 21, was released after serving only four months of his 12 month sentence. He was jailed for smashing a window at Millbank Tower during the riots on November 10 2010.
 

“It’s very strange,” said Heslip, who was released on February 10. “It feels like I’ve been in a time capsule. Nothing happens when you’re in prison. I’ve forgotten everything.  As soon as I got through the gates it felt like everything had been jolted forward four months.”
 

Release conditions
 

Known as ‘Hessy’ by his friends, Heslip’s whereabouts will be tracked via a tag until April 4. He is also banned from the Tory headquarters, with the perimeter starting from Vauxhall Bridge and extending to Lambeth Bridge.
 

In addition, he will have to visit a probation officer once a month and attend six alcohol meetings, because he was drunk during the incident.

“It was a stupid thing to do. I went with the crowd and was drunk at the time,” Heslip said. “I regret my actions but I don’t regret going to the protest.
 

“It was a really severe consequence for my actions,” he added.

Heslip pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Kingston Crown Court after CCTV footage showed him smashing the window of Millbank Tower.  

“I think it’s ridiculous that student fees have been tripled, but breaking windows is not the way to fight against it,” said Heslip. “I wouldn’t go again and clearly there needs to be more action, but not in the form of riots.”

University policy
 

In accordance with Kingston University policy, he was expelled after his conviction in October. The policy states that “any student sentenced to 21 days or more in prison is automatically deemed to have withdrawn from the University.”
 

Expelled students are allowed to send a statement requesting to be reinstated to the Vice Chancellor, who confers with colleagues before coming to a decision.
 

“James Heslip sent such a statement to the Vice Chancellor and, following discussion with colleagues at the university, permission was given for him to return,” said a Kingston University spokeswoman. Heslip will start his third year this September.
 

In addition to his statement, a petition was started by Socialist Worker Student Society member Alistair Farrow in January, to support Heslip’s attempt to come back to the University. The petition picked up over 500 signatures from Kingston students.

Petition of support
 

Farrow said: “I started the petition with his permission when the Defend the Right to Protest campaign approached me. James had contacted them to help him with his case,” said Farrow. “It was a combination of his legal team and family that helped him get back into university and I’m glad for him.”
 

The Defend the Right to Protest campaign defends “all those protestors who have been arrested, bailed or charged and are fighting to clear their names”. 
 

During his prison term, Heslip worked in a workshop fixing cabinets. He said: “It was a good job. It kept my brain entertained and I got to learn new skills. It was in a secret and highly trusted area that they kept away from the ‘lifers’ and those who committed more serious crimes.” 
 

 

A typical day at HMP Wandsworth started at 8am, when Heslip would get up and exercise, which was “basically walking in circles around the car park.  It was the best bit of the day,” Heslip said. “Because you actually get to see the sky and you get to meet a lot of interesting people.”

 

One person he met was inmate Peter Wayne, who has written for The Guardian, New Statesman, and The Independent.“I used to talk to him every morning and it was a new subject every day. He taught me about Dickens and other topics,” said Heslip.}
 

Through Wayne, he has been commissioned to create illustrations for an Olympic book, which will be published this summer and featured at the Hayward Gallery in  central London.  Another job opportunity was presented to Heslip through his prison sentence. A fellow rioter who was also jailed asked Heslip to help him create puppets for a play which is based on prison life.

 

Drawings from within prison walls
 

As a fine art student, Heslip kept himself busy during the day by working on his art. He would trade his sketches with inmates in exchange for coloured pencils and other materials. “I couldn’t see anything, so I sketched whatever I could think of,” said Heslip. “There were pigeons that would come to the window bars of the cell to nibble on food. There are a couple of drawings of them.”
 

He posted his sketches to his girlfriend, Tabby Booth, who uploaded them to his blog, called Drawings from within the Prison Walls.

Only having limited communication was tough on the couple, because they could not talk every day.
 

“It was expensive to call and it depended on if I had enough money,” said Heslip, then adding that he was only allowed to ring his girlfriend every three or four days. Despite thinking he would go wild after being released, Heslip has been relaxing with friends and spending time with his girlfriend.