Bolton man involved in Southport riots’ ‘campaign’ of abuse

A man involved in the disorder that swept the country after the Southport killings subjected his partner to a “campaign of violence, threats, humiliation and intimidation”.

Keenan Sanders, 22, repeatedly assaulted and threatened the woman over several months in 2025 after having been released under investigation for his part in the disorder of summer 2024.

Bolton Crown Court heard how this involved attacking her with a knife, pushing her into barbed wire, strangling her, and even threatening to “cripple her”.

Judge Jon Close said: “The violence and threats were extreme in nature and often involved the use of a knife.”

He described that as a “campaign of violence, threats, humiliation and intimidation” which continued after he manipulated his victim to give falsely innocent explanations to others.

The case had previously been opened by Charlotte Rimmer, prosecuting, who told the court about the string of violent attacks Sanders had launched.

The court heard how, at one point, Sanders had pushed the woman into oncoming traffic, where she was only narrowly missed by a bus.

On another occasion, he threatened to cut the heels of her foot with a knife before then jabbing at her knee.

Judge Close said that Sanders, who appeared in court via video link from prison, “in essence threatened to cripple her”.

In yet another example of violence, Sanders threatened the victim and pushed her into barbed wire.

Judge Close said that the incidents set out before the court were only a “sample” of Sanders’s behaviour towards the woman during that period.

He described Sanders’s actions as “prolonged, persistent and cruel, at times bordering on sadistic”.

After he was arrested and remanded into custody, Sanders, of no fixed abode, still tried to contact the woman using the prison phone.

Fortunately, police were present when Sanders tried to make one of his calls and the scale of his attempts to keep in touch with her became clear.

Sanders confessed to controlling and coercive behaviour, wounding, S18 wounding, threats with a blade, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, assault by beating and a S39 assault.

Concerning his victim, Judge Close told Sanders he was “responsible for the destruction of her personality in your attempts to build one that was subservient to your wishes”.

Judge Close noted Sanders has since been convicted of possession of an offensive weapon and criminal damage in connection with the violent disorder of 2024.

He was released under investigation in connection with the offences during his campaign of abuse against his partner.

The court had previously heard from Mark Friend, defending, how being remanded was Sanders’s first experience of the criminal justice system.

He said that the defendant had been just 21 at the time, had endured a difficult upbringing and had ADHD.

Judge Close jailed Sanders for 10 years and made him subject to a lifetime restraining order against his victim.

Bolton News