'Thuggish' Black Lives Matter protester, 27, who took a flying kick at police officer during London demonstration sparked by murder of George Floyd, is spared jail

 Jonathan Daley, 27, took a flying kick at a police officer during a Black Lives Matter protest on June 3 last year

A demonstrator who took a flying kick at a police officer during a Black Lives Matter protest has been spared jail.

Jonathan Daley, 27, joined the massive demonstration, sparked by the death of American George Floyd, on 3 June last year.

The event in Whitehall became hostile when a group of around 250 protestors began harassing a TV film crew and police officers intervened to help the crew.

Some of those protesting also began throwing items at police officers. 

During the confrontation, Daley ran up behind an officer and attempted to kick him in the back, missing by a matter of inches.

Footage captured by CCTV then shows Daley running ahead of the group, hiding behind railings, looking to launch an ambush.

Minutes later, Daley lunges from his hiding place and took a flying kick at one of the officers, striking him in the upper thigh.

The un-named police constable fell to the ground and Daley ran away.

Footage captured by CCTV shows Daley attacking the officer after hiding to set up an ambush 

A video posted on social media shows Daley cheering and celebrating with the crowd after the attack

A video posted on social media shows Daley cheering and celebrating with the crowd after the attack.

Detective Constable Steve Nicholls, from the Met's Public Order Crime Team, described Daley's behaviour as 'sickening' and 'thuggish'.

Det Con Nicholls said: 'It is sickening to see someone treat a police officer with such thuggish behaviour. Despite being outnumbered, those officers were trying to help a TV film crew who were being subjected to scenes of violence and hostility. 

'It is deeply worrying to see a crowd of people become so aggressive to police officers.

'Thanks to the excellent CCTV footage on Whitehall, which captured the assault in its entirety, we were able to identify Daley swiftly and arrest him later that day in Parliament Square. 

Jonathan Daley, of Bradwell Avenue, Dagenham, admitted one charge of violent disorder and wasspared jail, but was instead ordered to do 100 hours unpaid work and pay a £200 victim surcharge

'Daley has been spared jail on this occasion, but if he offends again he can be sure to spend many nights behind bars.'

Jonathan Daley, of Bradwell Avenue, Dagenham, admitted one charge of violent disorder at Inner London Crown Court and was last week sentenced to 20 months in prison, suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to undertake 100 hours unpaid work and pay a £200 victim surcharge.

A warrant had been issued against him by Westminster Magistrates' in January when he failed to attend court.