Downing Street crash man handed suspended prison sentence

A man who crashed into the gates of Downing Street has been handed a suspended prison sentence for dangerous driving and possessing indecent images of children.

Seth Kneller, 43, from Crewe, drove his car into the street's security gates on 25 May after posting a TikTok blaming politicians for society's ills.

After being detained, he told officers he needed help and had "had enough".

When examining his phone, police later found indecent images of children.

They found three category A images, the most serious type, and five category C images. The images depicted victims aged eight to 12.

Kneller was also found to have accessed a website known to contain indecent images of children 393 times.

He plead guilty to a count of dangerous driving earlier this month and two of making indecent images of children at a hearing in June.

On the day of the crash, Kneller had posted a clip to TikTok in which he spoke about politicians, telling his followers "someone has to pay".

He also said he had Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and was autistic, and asked: "What is there to live for anymore?"

The collision caused Downing Street's outer gates to swing open and the main gates to shake, Southwark Crown Court was told on Tuesday.

Kneller was detained by firearms officers after his Kia Ceed came to a stop.

His 15-month prison sentence was suspended for two years and he must complete 30 rehabilitation days and 27 days of a separate rehabilitation programme.

He was also banned from driving for 18 months, can no longer use the phone and car used in the offences and was handed a seven-year sexual harm prevention order.

Judge Christopher Hehir said he had spared Kneller jail due to his mental health, early guilty plea, lack of previous convictions, a "good prospect" of rehabilitation and the fact he had already served the equivalent of an eight-month prison sentence.

He told Kneller: "You chose to launch a violent attack on a place which is a government location and in many ways a symbol of democracy.

"Your violent attack on it must be regarded by the courts as being of the utmost seriousness.

"You are not guilty of any contact abuse of children, but if it was not for people like you who consume these images, the abuse in question would most likely not take place."