Ms Graham, from Bristol, works as a stage supervisor within the theatre trade
Rhian Graham, 30
Ms Graham, from Bristol, works as a stage supervisor within the theatre trade.
In a web page on jobs web site Mandy.com, she says she has been ‘singing and dancing’ she she was a toddler and extra not too long ago carried out as an ‘aerial hoop artist’.
She holds a level in Arts and Occasion Administration from Arts College Bournemouth.
Ms Graham mentioned throughout her trial that earlier than serving to to tear down the statue of Colston, she had signed petitions calling for it to be eliminated.
She claimed she didn’t initially have a background in politics or activism however, from 2019, had ‘began to make extra pals who had extra of a ardour for historical past, politics and equality.’
‘I felt a bit embarrassed about my very own information and felt I wanted to try to interact extra with the world.’
Ponsford, 26, works as a carpenter and lives in a motorhome in Bristol
Milo Ponsford, 26
Ponsford, 26, works as a carpenter and lives in a motorhome in Bristol.
Through the trial at Bristol Crown Court docket, he mentioned he was ‘normally a reserved {and professional} particular person.’
The carpenter equipped one of many two ropes which had been used on June 7 to haul the statue of Colston off its plinth.
He was later seen leaping on the statue and attempting to drag Colston’s employees away.
Ponsford, 26, works as a carpenter and lives in a motorhome in Bristol
Sage Willoughby, 22
Sage Willoughby, 22
Willoughby, additionally from Bristol, is the youngest of the group of 4 who tore down the statue.
Not like Ponsford, who was arrested at his motorhome after the statue was toppled, Willoughby attended a police interview voluntarily.
Jurors heard on the trial at Bristol Crown Court docket that Willoughby, a eager climber, had tied a rope across the neck of the statue, earlier than Ponsford and Graham pulled on the ropes.
Willoughby mentioned in court docket that he had been signing petitions to have the statue eliminated ‘since he was 11 years outdated’ and added that its toppling of the statue had been an ‘act of affection, not violence’.
He mentioned he had grown up within the St Pauls space of Bristol, which has a big Afro-Caribbean inhabitants.
Because of this, he mentioned he believed having the statue of Colston within the metropolis was an ‘insult’ and he would proceed to consider that regardless of the end result of this [trial].’
Skuse, additionally from Bristol, didn’t participate within the toppling of the statue however was charged with felony injury after serving to to roll it to Bristol’s harbour, the place it was dropped within the water
Jake Skuse, 33
Skuse, additionally from Bristol, didn’t participate within the toppling of the statue however was charged with felony injury after serving to to roll it to Bristol’s harbour, the place it was dropped within the water.
Throughout his trial, he mentioned he had tried to ‘sentence the statue to his loss of life’ earlier than tossing it into the harbour.
He claimed to haven’t seen the preliminary toppling however arrived later and obtained carried away with the ‘hype’ of the second.
Skuse mentioned he was impressed to throw the statue within the water after his ‘foot was getting sore’ from kicking the strong bronze monument.
Nonetheless, the activist admitted that his information of Colston beforehand had been restricted to conversations he had had with others and studying the plaque on the statue’s plinth.