A HOMELESS man who walked through Wokingham's Armistice Day ceremony singing Bob Marley's 'I shot the Sheriff' has been convicted of upsetting the crowd.

More than 100 people of all ages including members from the Royal British Legion gathered outside the town hall for the annual ceremony on November 11, 2015.

Kurk Wood walked through the crowd singing the Bob Marley classic during the two minute silence.

Karen Lisle was one of the crowd gathered to pay their respects to the soldiers who gave their lives in the two World Wars.

She said: "The bugler played the 'Last Post' and when that stopped the two minute silence started.

"All of a sudden there was somebody singing 'I shot the Sheriff' loudly in the two minute silence.

"I was disgusted. It shows no respect and my husband is ex-forces."
She said the 56-year-old continued to sing, repeating the refrain as he walked through the crowd and onto Broad Street.

Mrs Lisle was at the service with her colleague Bryony Trafford-Smith, who also gave evidence at the trial in Reading Magistrates' Court on Monday, February 22.

She said: "We were standing across the road from the town hall in a semicircle.

"Suddenly to my left 'I shot the Sheriff' was sung very loudly twice in succession.

"It was sung very loudly and very clearly. He was carrying on walking and walked just in front of me through some more people and off down the street.
"Everybody looked up and, if you can judge people's facial expressions there was a lot of disapproval but no one said anything because it was during the silence."

Wood, of no fixed abode, failed to appear before magistrates Gayle Ridout, Melanie Millar and Richard Thomas.

Mr Thomas said: "The defendant was using threatening or abusive words that were likely to cause people harm or distress.

"There was a broad mix of the public present taking part in a public ceremony that is very dear to many people in this country."

A warrant was issued for Wood's arrest so he could be sentenced.