Man who threw shoe at judge walks free

A man who threw a shoe at an Old Bailey judge was allowed to walk free from court today by another judge.

Onochie Madekwe, 34, was surrounded in the dock by six prison officers in riot gear as he was sentenced to 33 months for violent disorder.

A doctor also stood by with four other prison officers.

Judge Paul Worsley told him the sentence meant he would now be eligible for release because he had served half by being on remand for 512 days.

Madekwe called out "Thank you" as he left the dock after the riot officers explained the sentence to him.

It was in December that Madekwe, who was defending himself during a murder trial, took off a trainer and hurled it at Judge Gerald Gordon.

It missed and hit the back of the court and Madekwe was only allowed to wear flip-flops for the rest of the trial.

He and fellow defendants Michael Boyde, 38, and Andrew Spence, 22, were later acquitted of murder.

A fourth defendant, Abdul Khan, 19, was later jailed for life for stabbing to death Kul Hawadleh, 19, the son of a former prime minister of Somalia.

Madekwe, of no fixed address, had pleaded guilty to violent disorder involving a friend of the victim earlier in the day.

Boyde, of Willesden, north west London, and Spence, of Ealing, west London, were found guilty of violent disorder in January.

They were each sentenced to 30 months and were also released today.

The prosecution said it would not proceed with other charges.