Rioter told off for laughing as he’s jailed for ‘bringing shame’ on England flag and Sunderland

Stuart Polley, of Washington, has been jailed for three years and four months for taking part in a riot in Sunderland city centre last August

A rioter who “brought shame” on an England flag and Sunderland was reprimanded for laughing as he was jailed.

Stuart Polley was caught on camera participating in widespread disorder while wearing a pink shirt with a St George’s flag draped over his shoulders.

A court heard his criminality involved throwing a piece of metal fencing towards a police van and breaking up a wooden bench to produce further missiles. As the wider facts of what happened in Sunderland city centre on August 2 last year were outlined by prosecutors, Polley was told off by Judge Amanda Rippon near the start of the hearing at Newcastle Crown Court for his reaction in the dock.

She told his barrister: “I’m going to give you a couple of minutes to read the riot act to your client, who’s laughing and seems to think it’s funny. If I come back and he is anything other than a statue in the dock I will read him the riot act, and I use that term quite deliberately and any person in the public gallery who he is engaging with, I will remove.”

Laura Miller, defending, later explained that Polley had not expected the wider facts of what happened to be outlined as he was not directly responsible for those. She said his reaction was shock rather than amusement.

Neil Pallister, prosecuting, told the court of Polley’s involvement: “The defendant was identified as an individual who participated in acts of disorder. He was captured in a series of pieces of footage.

“He was first seen on camera drinking and milling around with others on Keel Square. He has an England flag on his shoulders.

“As disorder breaks out, he was seen near the Empire theatre at the front of a crowd who were confronting officers in protective equipment. He and others were seen pushing a picnic table towards a police van.

“The defendant returned to the same vehicle a short time later. He was dragging a piece of metal fencing and throwing it towards the vehicle. Not content to leave matters there, he was seen to break up a wooden bench, no doubt to obtain further missiles.”

When he was interviewed, he said he attended to show support for the protest and had three or four pints beforehand. He admitted being in the crowd but but said he played no part in the violent acts.

When shown the CCTV of what he had done, he said he had no memory of doing it.

Polley has four previous convictions, including an arson attack for which he was jailed in 2018 after setting fire to a house in revenge, blaming the absent occupier for the death of his cousin.

For the latest offence, he pleaded guilty to riot and was jailed for three years and eight months. Judge Rippon told him: “You were present at what was a planned event and mirroring what had occurred in other cities and towns over a few days you, together with others, brought shame on Sunderland. For no justifiable reason whatsoever, you and others gathered in the city to participate in an orgy of mindless destruction, violence and disorder.

“Your pink shirt was readily identifiable in footage, over which you draped an England flag, which you wore as you rioted and brought shame on that flag.”

Laura Miller, defending, said Polley is remorseful for what he did. She added: “He has expressed that he is ashamed of his actions. He called his behaviour on the footage absolutely ridiculous.”

She added that those close to him say he is kind, caring and compassionate and a good role model.

Chronicle Live