Snivelling rioter changes his tune as he is jailed for brandishing stick at protesters

Curtis Coulson cried during his first court appearance

A snivelling rioter who cried during his first court appearance had no tears as he was jailed for brandishing a stick taken from an anti-racism sign.

Curtis Coulson has been put behind bars for four-and-a-half months for affray on August 4 in Sheffield. Coulson, 30, wiped away tears as he appeared at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court last week and was remanded into custody.

However, Coulson, of Sheffield, appeared different when he appeared over a video link at Sheffield Crown Court from HMP Lincoln on Tuesday and listened to Neil Coxon’s prosecution opening.

Mr Coxon said: “In essence a group of pro-asylum protesters held a peaceful demonstration on the steps of the Town Hall.” The court heard Coulson claimed he had seen a message about a Pro-UK march the day before and he got the bus into the city centre and walked in the direction of the Town Hall where he was to meet a group to attend the march.

He said he was approached by a woman holding a placard as he walked past the City Hall and said she called him a “far-right fascist” and raised the sign “in what appeared to be a strike.”

Mr Coxon said Coulson claimed he raised his arm and caused the placard to come from a stick, which he took away. He said he agreed he had used the stick in a threatening manner.

Coulson’s barrister, Gordon Stables, said the case did not involve “actual violence” and that the tarmacer is “very embarrassed.”

Judge Richardson told Coulson as he jailed him: “It is always important in cases of this kind to keep a sense of proportion, not withstanding that observation, your conduct was disgraceful.

“You unquestionably threatened on several occasions, violence, whilst holding a stick…There was some form of protest outside the City Hall by individuals who asserted they are anti-racism and anti-fascist. It was a group of approximately 70 plus individuals, who appeared to be participating in a peaceful protest.

“But you were adjacent to a nearby public house, called Yates, with a group much smaller in number than they were. There had been some form of incident – the truth of which I cannot judge – whereby you managed to secure the pole that had held a placard. You utilised that pole to threaten and provoke the larger group of individuals.”

The judge said: “It is right to observe, no one was in fact injured, and it is also right to observe that the anti-racist group advanced towards you, albeit no one of them actually attacked you at all, or your group. You were waving your stick provocatively on a number of occasions and were moving in a hostile way and were threatening towards them…

“It is clear at the same time, several miles away in Rotherham, police were having to handle a very difficult situation where there was mass public disorder.”

Coulson was also made the subject of a Criminal Behaviour Order for five years.

Yorkshire Live