Elarna Garner-Abbey, Philip Wood: Couple involved in Rotherham riots stoked fire & threw missiles at cops

A couple were both involved in helping to stoke fires and throw missiles at police, as part of riots that broke out after a protest outside a Rotherham hotel housing asylum seekers turned violent.

Philip Wood and Elarna Garner Abbey were in a relationship at the time of the widespread disorder in Manvers, Rotherham on August 4, 2024 and travelled to the protest together. They have since ended their relationship.

In footage shown to Sheffield Crown Court, Wood and Garner-Abbey can both be seen involving themselves in the disorder that broke out on Manvers Way, a short distance from the Holiday Inn Express, which was at the centre of the disorder.

The video footage shown to the court, during a hearing held on June 16, 2025, is from behind the police line, and shows a fire burning in between officers and where the majority of protesters are located.

Describing the roles of each of the defendants, prosecutor, Joseph Bell said Wood, who was wearing a face covering for much of the incident, can be seen stoking a fire which is a blaze in the middle of the road, repeatedly throwing missiles towards the police line, some of which were at “close range.”

A number of the items had been given to Wood, aged 22, by others involved with the disorder, the court heard.

Mr Bell said a “discarded firework” was among the items thrown in the direction of police.

“He takes a charger, places the end of that charger in the fire until it catches light, swings it round over his head. He passes it to someone else, who imitates whipping with the charger,” said Mr Bell.

He continued: “He commandeers a large metal pole, of which he can be seen to stuff tissue into the end, and then sets it alight.”

Moving to Garner-Abbey’s conduct, Mr Bell emphasised that while the defendants travelled to the riots together, they each “played their own role” and acted “independently” of each other.

Mr Bell said Garner-Abbey, aged 19, can be seen “pushing a blue pole into the fire and then hands it to another.”

“She can be seen repeatedly throwing missiles at police,” continued Mr Bell, adding that she also provided missiles for others to throw.

Garner-Abbey’s barrister, Rebecca Tanner, said her client, who was aged 18 at the time of the disorder, only actually threw missiles in the form of stones towards police on two occasions, however.

Mr Bell continued: “She then commandeers the large blue stick again so it’s set alight, and passes it to another. She can be seen going around collecting items, and adding them to the blaze, before handing items to people present.”

He told the court that the two defendants were in a relationship from October 2023 until around a fortnight after the riots.

They were living in a tent, which was camped a short distance away from Sheffield’s Meadowhall shopping centre, when they committed the offences.

Mr Bell said Garner-Abbey, of Station Road, Dunscroft, Doncaster, made a complaint to police about Wood concerning his behaviour towards her in December 2024, but ultimately decided against proceeding with it.

Both defendants pleaded guilty to a charge of violent disorder at earlier hearings.

Mitigating for Garner-Abbey, Ms Tanner said she could not suggest her client was anything other than a “willing participant.”

Addressing the Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, Ms Tanner continued: “My Lord has seen her appalling behaviour on the CCTV, and I don’t seek to suggest for one moment that she wasn’t a willing participant.”

She suggested, however, that a distinction could be made between those who involved themselves with the disorder in and around the Holiday Inn Express, and the Manvers Way rioting a short distance away, where Garner-Abbey committed her offence.

Ms Tanner continued: “She did not direct any aggression towards the hotel, or those within it. There’s no evidence she was using racially aggressive language. Her animosity was towards the police.”

Ms Tanner referred Judge Richardson to documentation from Garner-Abbey’s GP, confirming her pregnancy, after the case was adjourned last week for that to be obtained.

She suggested the pregnancy was completely unexpected; and as a consequence of which, she has been advised to come off the medication she was taking, which may prove to have an adverse effect on her.

Ms Tanner said Garner-Abbey has endured mental health difficulties, and during her “toxic” relationship with Wood, became isolated from her family. She suggested this has subsequently been mended, and her family continue to offer her their support.

The probation officer who authored Garner-Abbey’s pre-sentence report said she had spoken to HMP Newhall, where she may be sent should she receive a custodial sentence, and was satisfied they could accommodate her, and any complications which may arise during her pregnancy.

Judge Richardson said he wanted to carefully consider whether a prison sentence should be passed down, and adjourned sentence for Garner-Abbey until Thursday, June 19, 2025 and remanded her into custody until then.

Judge Richardson also adjourned Wood’s sentencing until Thursday, after difficulties over the video link meant his barrister Marc Luxford was unable to make submissions on his behalf during Monday’s hearing.

Wood, of Milton Street, Bootle, Sefton, was told he must remain in custody at HMP Doncaster until then.

The Manvers disorder was among last summer’s riots, all of which took place after misinformation was disseminated in the wake of a fatal stabbing in Southport that claimed the lives of three young girls.

Previous sentencing hearings for those involved with the disorder have heard that 58 police officers, three police dogs and one police horse were injured during the course of the violence.

Some 22 members of staff present within the hotel barricaded themselves inside a kitchen, using three freezers, fearing they would die, the court has previously heard.

The most recent update from South Yorkshire Police, dated June 3, 2025, revealed that a total of 110 people have been charged in connection to the violent disorder at Manvers so far.

Of the 110 charged, 91 have been sentenced to a combined total of 223 years in prison.

Sheffield Star