But jail term not overthrown

Occasional comic Jonnie Marbles has had his jail term for throwing a foam pie at Rupert Murdoch reduced from six weeks to four.

The activist – real name Jonathan May-Bowles – failed to have the sentence overturned entirely, but it was reduced on appeal at Southwark Crown Court today.

Judge Anthony Pitts rejected arguments that the attack during a Commons committee hearing was in the slapstick comedy tradition.

‘That might be funny or have an element of comedy about it in a different situation,’ he said. ‘But not in this situation. It was intended, it seems to us, to cause fear and it must have caused fear.’

He said that the offence had ‘overtones of contempt of court’ and said that 26-year-old Marbles performed the stunt to attract ‘huge, probably worldwide, publicity’.

Published: 5 Aug 2011