Thug pulled on a white mask and ‘lobbed’ bricks at police during Southport riot
David France attempted to disguise himself, but was traced and arrested
A man who hurled two bricks at police officers during the rioting in Southport after the murders of three girls has been jailed.
A court heard David France put on a white face mask to disguise his appearance and also wore gloves in a bid to thwart fingerprint evidence while on St Lukes Road in the town on July 30 last year.
Jailing him for two years, Judge Simon Medland KC said he ‘lobbed two bricks at the police, who were faced by a crowd of milling thousands while doing no more than their job’. He told France, of Lever Street in Radcliffe, near Bury, he had deliberately involved himself and people were ‘utterly outraged that people behaved like that at a time like that’.
The 52 year-old, who has 43 convictions for 135 offences including affray, possessing a bladed article, theft and threatening behaviour, pleaded guilty to violent disorder.
Rebecca Smith, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court that the day after the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, Bebe King and Elsie Dot Stancombe, the community came together for a vigil.
She said: “At the same time this defendant and others were engaging in behaviour at total odds to that vigil. The focus of the violence and disorder was the town’s mosque. A crowd started to gather outside the mosque from just after 7pm. Officers responded and formed a protective cordon. That cordon was subjected to significant violence as the mood changed. Some 50 officers were injured with police vehicles damaged.”
Ms Smith said video footage showed a police vehicle set alight. The cost to replace it was estimated at £100,000.
The prosecutor said the vehicle was looted and a riot shield and other protective equipment stolen. She added: “There was looting and considerable damage to property and the mosque. The disorder was so violent that residents were told to stay indoors and away from windows. Officers estimated that a group of about 1,000 people were involved.”
She also detailed racist chants.
The court was shown footage which captured France’s behaviour. While initially at the back of a large group surging towards the police, he later began to move forward to the frontline, facing the officers. He was seen putting on the face mask and gloves, and telling another man to follow him. He then threw a brick towards the police lines, followed by a second brick or piece of concrete, the court heard.
He was arrested at his home in March this year and answered ‘no comment’ when interviewed.
Selda Krasniqi, defending, said France had mental health problems and was being treated for ‘mixed anxiety and depressive disorder’.
“He regrets what he did and knows he should not have done it,” said the barrister. “He pleaded guilty at his first appearance.”
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