Smirking Valentino-clad rioter joins racist mob attacking Rotherham hotel because he was ‘nosy’

Kaine Hicks is now behind bars after abusing police in the Rotherham riots

A smirking Valentino-clad thug subjected hard-working officers to vile verbal abuse while they tried to calm riots in Rotherham.

Kaine Hicks, 22, was bedecked in designer garments when he went to the Holiday Inn in Manvers on August 4. The hotel is used to house asylum seekers and refugees and was the location of violent disorder which resulted in a large number of arrests last week.

Hicks, Wombwell Road, Platts Common, Barnsley, claims he went to the hotel to be “nosy” but was captured on police bodycam footage verbally abusing officers.

Prosecutor Neil Coxon told Sheffield Crown Court on Tuesday: “Effectively, he is captured by PC Goodman on bodycam footage. The defendant’s described as wearing a Valentino sweatshirt jumper. It is very distinctive and he can be seen walking along the line where the police officer is stationed. He acted in an aggressive manner towards the officer, is verbally abusive and is heard saying a number of things including, ‘You f****** dirty b*******, the f****** lot of you, dirty c**** All of yous, go on, go on.’

“He was part of a group who are putting their hands up and pushing against the officer’s shields.

Recorder of Sheffield Judge Jeremy Richardson KC said: “The officers were obviously doing their level best to protect the hotel, which was on the left, and this is when this incident occurred.”

It was said Hicks had previous convictions for offences including possession of cocaine, ketamine and ecstasy and possession with intent to supply cannabis. Mitigating, Dale Harris said: “His guilty plea effectively reflects his involvement in it, which is limited.”

The court heard Hicks is a self-employed construction worker who has “never been involved in any protest before” but had seen it “advertised on social media before”. Mr Harris said: “He had gone because in his words – he was nosy and wanted to see what was happening and crossed the line. He will pay a heavy price in losing his liberty, because his earning will be affected.

“In spite of the context of this incident occurs, he holds no strong political opinions and rejects any suggestion he is part of any far-right group – he doesn’t share those views and wouldn’t regard himself as having any negative opinions. He is, well I suspect, tarred with the same brush, given the nature of the criminality that unfolded.

Judge Richardson jailed Hicks for two years and eight months and told him: “On 4th August there was major civil disorder in the Manvers area, that was part of national civil unrest. The disorder was unquestionably racist of character and extremely frightening for anyone there.

“It was perpetrated by an ignorant mob. You were a part of that mob. I have absolutely no doubt that many decent people in Rotherham were badly affected by what occurred. There was violence and very threatening conduct in the context of this case to police officers in particular by you. I have said it on several occasions and make no apology for repeating this: The police officers who were present doing their duty are deserving of high praise for the way in which they resisted provocation and handled an immensely challenging situation with precision and skill.

“You – I repeat – were part of this mob of ignorant and violent individuals. It must be made clear those participating in this violent disorder will be punished severely by these courts…You were targeting the police, as were others. There was disruption and severe detrimental impact to the community. This was unquestionably a racist incident.”

The judge also made Hicks the subject of a 10-year Criminal Behaviour Order.

Yorkshire Live