Protester convicted of pelting Minister with eggs during visit

The chairwoman of the Conservative Party, was visiting Luton last November when she was attacked.

Gavin Reid, of Green Close, Luton, was sentenced to six weeks in prison at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court.

Magistrate Elizabeth Roscoe said: "Throwing eggs goes beyond legitimate political protest and is quite clearly disorderly behaviour and it is also threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour."

The court heard Baroness Warsi was confronted by a group of men who hurled abuse and she was then targeted with eggs – one of which smashed and soiled her jacket and hair.

Then Shadow Minister for Community Cohesion and Social Action, she was touring the Bury Park area with a Tory candidate on November 30.

Shaven-headed Reid, who was arrested 15 days after the incident, denied a charge under the Public Order Act of intentionally causing harassment, alarm or distress.

Baroness Warsi, who did not give evidence in the trial, was said to have told protesters: "I am not fazed. I am a criminal solicitor from Yorkshire."

Ms Roscoe conceded that politicians tend to be "reasonably robust", adding: "There has been no evidence to make me sufficiently sure that she (Baroness Warsi) felt any harassment, alarm or distress."

However she said Reid's actions did meet the criteria in relation to Janghar Khan, a Conservative who accompanied Baroness Warsi.

Reid had already served the sentence on remand since May. But he remains in custody on other matters.

Lady Warsi, who became Minister without portfolio in May, is the first female Muslim Cabinet Minister.