Man who hurled bricks at police during Southport riots jailed

Scott Brooks travelled from Wigan to take part in the violent disorder last summer

A man who was caught on CCTV throwing a brick at a female police officer during the violent disorder last summer has been jailed.

Violence originally broke out in Southport on July 30 when hundreds of people clashed with police following the deaths of three young girls – Elsie Dot Stancombe, Bebe King and Alice Da Silva Aguiar – in a mass stabbing the previous day.

So far, 176 people have been arrested, with 135 charged and 112 sentenced to a combined 216 years and eight months in prison. Scott Brooks, 38, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court after pleading guilty at a previous hearing for violent disorder in Southport July 30.

Brooks, of Francis Street in Wigan, was captured on CCTV at the forefront and encouraging others to take part in the disorder on Sussex Road. He was seen throwing a large number of objects at police officers, of which one brick hit a female constable on the helmet which caused her to fall to the ground and injure her leg.

Brooks was later arrested and then charged with violent disorder and assaulting an emergency worker. Today, Friday February 21, Brooks was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison.

Meanwhile on Wednesday, February 19 a 30-year-old man from Manchester was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder in Southport. He has been bailed pending further enquiries. On Tuesday, February 18 a 12-year-old male from Wirral was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder in Liverpool city centre that took place on Saturday, August 3. He has been released under investigation.

Detective Sergeant Duncan Sloan said: “Today’s sentencing shows that we are relentless in bringing those who helped cause such violence and disruption to our communities to justice.

“We are committed to ensure those responsible are held to account, including those who travelled to Merseyside to take part in the disorder. We are continuing to identify more people who displayed such abhorrent behaviour which damaged our communities, and we will not stop until we’ve put everyone we possibly can before the courts.

“We advise anyone else who took part in the disorder to do the right thing and hand themselves in.” Police encourage anyone with information to contact them by calling 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Current galleries of people police would like to speak to can be found on their X and Facebook pages, and on the force website.

Liverpool Echo