Football coach who played key role in ‘violent and hostile’ Epping hotel protest is jailed

He was described as having participated “quite willingly” in the disorder

A football coach who had a key role in violent disorder in Epping last summer has been jailed. Lee Gower, 43, was one of several who took part in a protest near to The Bell Hotel in the town on July 17.

He was convicted of violent disorder after a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court earlier this year. Gower was described at an earlier hearing as “the man who runs the local football team” and a “pillar of the community”.

Judge Alexander Mills said if his conduct on the side of a football pitch is “anything like your actions that day then it raises serious concerns”. Gower shook his head as he was told he would serve two years and nine months behind bars.

The court heard that a nearby Tesco, the Shell Garage and a local pub were all impacted by the disorder. The pub had to close its car park, leaving customers unable to get to it, while Tesco and the garage both closed early. There was also “huge financial loss” to the businesses.

More than 100 police officers were deployed to the disorder in Epping, involving officers from Essex as well as the Metropolitan Police, British Transport Police, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire constabularies. Many of them worked extended 12-hour shifts. A senior officer with two decades of experience said he had “never witnessed disorder on this scale in Essex, and certainly not in a town like Epping”.

Multiple protests were held outside the hotel last summer after asylum seeker Hadush Kebatu was charged with the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl. The Ethiopian national – who came on a small boat to the UK – was convicted of five offences, including sexual assault. He was jailed but wrongfully freed from HMP Chelmsford in October before he was detained and deported to Ethiopia.

At his sentencing on Thursday (June 11), Gower was described as a community figure. Tony Wyatt, defence, said: “Lee Gower is a well liked member of the community and very much a community man. It’s that status that has been triggered for ending up with him being there.”

Dad-of-two Gower was said to have two previous convictions for three offences, dating back to 2002.

Judge Mills said: “You participated quite willingly in disorder that was widespread. It came at a significant cost to the police in finances and resources.

“You goaded and were violent and hostile to the police and counter-protesters. In doing so you were constantly at or near the front of the crowd. You were a material contributor to the events that day.”

Essex Live