Grandfather got involved in Hull riot after police wouldn’t let him retrieve his bike

“His behaviour was awful, quite frankly, and he thoroughly accepts that. He has got thoroughly carried away because he was so annoyed at the police because they wouldn’t let him get to his bicycle.”

A furious grandfather got involved in serious scenes of mob violence in Hull city centre after becoming “incredibly angry” that police would not let him retrieve a bicycle that he had earlier chained to a lamp post.

Ex-drug addict Andrew Wardrobe was later seen pushing a large waste bin towards police, encouraging others and carrying a police riot shield that he had somehow managed to grab, Hull Crown Court heard.

Wardrobe, 54, of Falkland Road, Greatfield estate, east Hull, admitted violent disorder on August 3. His behaviour was part of 12 hours of trouble in the city that day, sparked by the deaths of three young girls in Southport.

The disturbances in Hull included rowdy and violent scenes outside the Royal Hotel in Ferensway, which was being used at the time to house asylum seekers. There were confrontations with police, who were forming a protective line.

There were also disturbances in Queen Victoria Square, Jameson Street and at a garage.

Wardrobe was seen pushing a large blue bin towards police outside the Royal Hotel and trying to get someone to help him do so. He was holding a police riot shield outside the hotel but it was not clear where he got it, the court heard.

He handed himself in to police on August 8 after images of suspects were put out by police. He claimed that he was at the scene by accident and that he had been squirted in the face with pepper spray. He denied any racial motivation for his actions.

Wardrobe had convictions for 45 previous offences, including a one-year custodial sentence in 1989 for dishonesty and another custodial sentence in 1997. His most recent conviction was in 2014 for theft.

Rachel Scott, mitigating, said that Wardrobe was involved in the early stages of the trouble and he was shouting at police. “The main reason that he became involved in this was that he could not get to his bike,” said Miss Scott.

“He had tied his bicycle up to a lamp post earlier. He was trying to get to his bicycle. The police interpreted this as being that he was part of the group.

“He became incredibly angry at this. He was overwhelmed and he got carried away. The behaviour is disgraceful and he is thoroughly embarrassed by his actions and so he should be.

“His behaviour was awful, quite frankly, and he thoroughly accepts that. He has got thoroughly carried away because he was so annoyed at the police because they wouldn’t let him get to his bicycle.

“He behaved terribly. He has encouraged others. There is no getting around that.”

Wardrobe had previously worked as a double glazer and joiner but he developed a heroin and crack cocaine addiction. He had six grandsons, the court heard. He had been in custody for six-and-a-half months.

Wardrobe was jailed for one year but, because of his time in custody on remand, he was deemed to be “time served” and was due to be released later that day.

Hull Live