Man ‘sat happily drinking’ after inflaming riot

A rioter who “sat happily drinking” watching the carnage he had helped incite engulf his city has been jailed.

Leon Watson, 35, threw missiles at police and encouraged others to attack in Sunderland in August 2024 after anti-immigration protests turned violent, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

He and his accomplices had “brought shame” on Sunderland during an “orgy of mindless destruction” and “mayhem”, a judge said.

Watson, from Sunderland, admitted riot and was jailed for three years and four months.

Watson had been out drinking in Sunderland when he joined a protest on 2 August 2024, the court heard, one of many around the country organised in the wake of the murder of three girls in Southport.

At its peak up to 1,000 people were involved in the Sunderland disorder with police repeatedly charged at and attacked, Asian-owned businesses and other buildings vandalised, shops looted and petrol bombs thrown, prosecutor Ian Cook said.

A mosque was targeted, seven police cars damaged and a police office destroyed in an arson attack, the court heard.

‘Deter others’

Many of those involved were waving England flags and wearing balaclavas and face coverings, the court heard.

Watson first came to police attention when he blocked the path of a taxi and shouted at the driver while encouraging others to attack the car, Cook said.

He later hurled a missile at police officers and handed items to others to throw, the court heard.

Judge Tim Gittins said Watson, of Hevingham Close, and others had “brought significant shame upon the city” during an “orgy of mindless destruction, violence and disorder” and widespread “mayhem”.

The businesses of “hardworking and decent” people had been attacked and damaged with the cost of repairs totalling “hundreds of thousands of pounds”, the judge said.

The police bill had come to £1.517m which would have to be footed by taxpayers, the court heard.

After Watson had played his part, he “sat happily drinking whilst watching” the destruction play out, the judge said.

Watson was “encouraging and involved in violence”, the judge said, with the “unavoidable feature of mass disorder” meaning each person present “inflames” the situation so should be sentenced severely to both punish the offender and “deter others from copying their example”.

BBC News