Two men brandished a gun and knife during racist confrontation in Sunderland

Two men who joined in a city centre riot then brandished a gun and knife during a racist confrontation with pub doormen have been put behind bars.

Lewis Stubbs and Tony Hall pelted missiles at police and burgled a vape shop that was trashed during the mass disorder in Sunderland last August.

In February this year the pair were drinking at the Old Skool bar in the city when bouncers asked them to leave and they reacted with racist abuse then produced weapons during a terrifying stand-off.

At Newcastle Crown Court today Stubbs was jailed for 40 months and Hall got locked up for 56 months.

Prosecutor Neil Pallsiter said during the riot on August 2 Stubbs threw a can at a cop’s head, joined the crowd outside a police hub that was vandalised and threw a plastic chair towards officers.

Mr Pallister said Hall was more heavily involved in the trouble and threw a glass bottle, bins and a parasol towards police lines.

Hall also joined the crowd outside the police hub and both men looted the vape shop.

Mr Pallister said on February 10 this year the men had been asked to leave the Old Skool pub and became aggressive with two doormen.

Stubbs then grabbed a hat from one of the bouncers and put it down his trousers.

Both then shouted racist abuse at the workers and Hall smashed a bottle on the ground while Stubbs knocked off the other bouncer’s glasses.

Mr Pallister said: “Hall said ‘go ahead and stab him’ and they saw Stubbs move his hand towards his jacket and took out a knife.”

One of the doormen heard people shouting ‘gun, gun, gun’ and saw Hall pointing a gun towards him.

The court heard the police were called and arrested Stubbs and Hall nearby. A gas powered BB gun was found in some bushes.

One of the doormen said in an impact statement he was “angry because of the racist language” and added: “I have never seen a gun before, that was the first time I have ever seen one and it made me feel a bit strange.”

The other doorman said he left the city for a week after the confrontation and added in his statement: “I felt like I had to be careful when going out and about.”

He said he worked less shifts after the incident and added: “I spent a lot of time at home, scared to be outside. The males’ friends came after and said we were snitches.”

Stubbs, 25, of Front Road, Ford Estate, Sunderland, admitted two charges of racially aggravated harassment, two of racially aggravated assault by beating, having a bladed article, violent disorder and burglary.

Jason Smith, defending, said Smith had a traumatic childhood, spent time in care and used drink and drugs to cope.

Hall, 31, of Pensher Street, Sunderland, admitted racially aggravated harassment, possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, possessing cannabis, riot and burglary.

Nicholas Lane, defending, said it was “drunken, loutish behaviour” while Hall was getting over a relationship break-up and added: “If he had been sober he wouldn’t have done it.”

Sunderland Echo