A rioter who helped fuel a fire outside a hotel housing asylum seekers believed his actions that day had “ruined” his life, a court has heard.

Arron Bailey, 28, also sprayed a fire extinguisher at police, pushed a shopping trolley at officers and threw a rock at a police van at the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers, Rotherham, on 4 August.

At Sheffield Crown Court on Wednesday, Bailey, who had pleaded guilty to violent disorder and arson with intent to endanger life, was jailed for eight years with an extended licence period of three years.

Meanwhile, a 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named due to his age, pleaded guilty at Sheffield Youth Court on Wednesday to violent disorder during the riot.

Before Bailey’s sentencing, Sheffield Crown Court heard that the father-of-two with no previous convictions was seen “to the fore of many of the various pockets of disorder” on the day of the riot.

He was seen wearing a camouflage balaclava in much of the footage taken at the scene.

Clips played in court showed the former construction worker adding large planks and cardboard boxes to a bin that had been set on fire outside the doors of the hotel.

A judge heard Bailey was part of a group chanting “Yorkshire, Yorkshire” as they descended on a police van, and he was seen arming himself with a large rock and throwing it at the vehicle.

Bailey was also seen commandeering a shopping trolley from a nearby Aldi supermarket and pushing it at the police line.

‘Family man’

In the footage shown to the court, he was seen at one point spraying a fire extinguisher at the police line, forcing officers to retreat, before he threw the empty device at officers.

In mitigation, the court heard Bailey had struggled to get work after the Covid lockdown, and had told a probation officer he had “ruined his life through this one day”.

A judge heard 14 references for Bailey had been submitted by family members and friends who “struggle to come to terms with exactly what he has done”.

The court heard that before the day of the riot, he was “essentially a family man who had a good relationship with family and friends”.

The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, said that despite the number of rioters he had now sentenced, “it never ceases to amaze me that young men such as yourself have, in consequence of what they did that day, ruined their lives and ruined the lives of their families”.

‘Have a nosy’

At Sheffield Youth Court on Wednesday, a teenage boy pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Manvers on 4 August.

District Judge Tim Spruce was told the 17-year-old was seen breaking up a slab of concrete to then throw at police, while on another occasion he was seen pulling off fence panels from residential properties which he then used to throw at officers.

Kaidee Brown, representing the boy, said he had gone to the protest with friends because they were “intrigued” by social media posts and wanted to “have a nosy”.

She said the boy, who was 16 at the time, did not go with the intention of using violence or causing distress, but when he arrived at the scene, he went “along with everyone else”.

Ms Brown said the teen described himself as “a class clown” who held police in high regard and did not have any racist views.

Judge Spruce told the boy he would be sentenced at the same court on 26 March.

BBC News

Arron Bailey also sprayed a fire extinguisher at police and pushed a shopping trolley at a line of officers during disorder in Rotherham.

A camouflage balaclava-wearing rioter who helped fuel a fire outside a hotel housing asylum-seekers has been jailed for eight years.

Father-of-two Arron Bailey, 28, also sprayed a fire extinguisher at police, pushed a shopping trolley at a line of officers and threw a rock at a van during the disorder outside the Holiday Inn Express, in Manvers, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, on August 4.

Sheffield Crown Court heard the former construction worker admitted he “has ruined his life through this one day”, as he was jailed on Wednesday for eight years with an extended licence period of three years.

Bailey, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and arson with intent to endanger life.

The court heard he was seen “to the fore of many of the various pockets of disorder” that day, wearing a camouflage balaclava in much of the footage.

Clips played in court showed Bailey adding large planks and cardboard boxes to a bin that had been set on fire outside the doors of the hotel.

A judge heard he was part of a group chanting “Yorkshire, Yorkshire,” as they descended on a police van, and was seen arming himself with a large rock and throwing it at the vehicle.

Bailey was also seen commandeering a shopping trolley from a nearby Aldi supermarket and pushing it at the police line.

At one point he was also seen spraying a fire extinguisher at the police line, forcing them to retreat, before throwing the empty fire extinguisher at police officers.

In mitigation, the court heard Bailey was a construction worker who struggled to get work after lockdown, and had told a probation officer he had “ruined his life through this one day”.

A judge heard 14 references had been submitted for Bailey from family and friends which “struggle to come to terms with exactly what he has done”.

The court heard that before the day of the riot he was “essentially a family man who had a good relationship with family and friends”.

More than 60 people have been jailed at Sheffield Crown Court for their roles in the Rotherham disorder, in which 64 police officers, three horses and a dog were injured as the building was besieged by about 400 people.

More than 200 asylum seekers and staff were trapped in the hotel, as some rioters broke into the building and attempts were made to set it alight.

Judge Jeremy Richardson KC said that despite the number of riot cases he had now sentenced, “It never ceases to amaze me that young men such as yourself have, in consequence of what they did that day, ruined their lives and ruined the lives of their families”.

The Independent

Four men have been jailed for a combined seven and a half years for their role in disorder in Merseyside.

They appeared at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday, Thursday 15 August, after all pleading guilty to violent disorder at previous hearings.

It means the total number of people now in prison cells following disorder in Southport and Liverpool stands at 15.

The latest men jailed are:

-Tom Neblett, 20, of High Park Road, Southport, was sentenced to two years and six months (above left)

-Tony Hazlett, 46, of Bank Road, Bootle, was sentenced to two years and four months (above right)

-Gerard Cooch, 39, of Merton Road, Bootle, was sentenced to one year and eight months (below left)

-Curtis Faure, 19, of Thomas Lane, Broadgreen, was sentenced to one year (below right)

Neblett and Hazlett were both part of the disorder in Southport on Tuesday 30 July and threw bricks and other objects at officers.

Cooch and Faure were both part of disorder in Liverpool city centre on Saturday 3 August. Cooch was identified on footage kicking officers’ shields and Faure threw a brick at officers.

Assistant Chief Constable Paul White said: “These four individuals clearly played a part in the despicable scenes we all witnessed in Southport and Liverpool city centre.

“To target police officers in such a violent manner is appalling and the people involved should be ashamed of themselves.

“We continue to identify more and more people who attended the disorder in Merseyside and we will not stop until we’ve put everyone we possibly can before the courts.”

Merseyside Police

A man who went on social media to encourage people to start a riot is thought to be the first person from Wales to get a conviction related to the recent disorder in England and Northern Ireland.

Richard David Williams, 34, of Maes Deri, in Ewloe, Flintshire, was handed a three-month jail sentence for talking about taking part in a riot and sharing a derogatory meme about migrants in a local Facebook group dedicated to protests.

The metal worker admitted sending menacing messages via a public communication network at Mold Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

Williams was arrested on Wednesday after police officers identified him as the man behind the online posts.

He admitted posting a message urging people to riot on a Facebook group called “Riot/Protest re Deeside” on 7 August that said a “protest/riot” would be held to “keep our kids safe”.

Mold magistrates’ court heard he shared a picture accompanied by a racist joke.

Hearing the case by videolink district judge Stephen Harmes told Williams he was “a person who has little thought for others and the law”.

He said: “We’re in the second phase of harm to groups that had, from last week, been designated to be blamed for all society’s ills by people like you.”

He rejected Williams’ description of himself as a “keyboard warrior” saying: “You’re not a warrior and neither are the rioters.”

He said Williams “tried to foment trouble and then tried to explain your way out of it”.

He said: “We’ll never be able to quantify what level of disruption your post caused, but it was part of a spider’s web of disruption that caused riots up and down the country.”

The chief prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, Jenny Hopkins, said: “Williams wrongly thought that he could spread derogatory and menacing content from behind a computer screen.

“Despite not taking part in unrest himself, he used social media to encourage others to engage in violent behaviour.

“I hope today’s result sends a clear message to those using the internet to sow division – your actions have consequences and you will be prosecuted.”

BBC News

Jamie Easterbrook was sentenced to a year and eight months in prison over a violent disorder in Bristol earlier this month

A man from Bristol has been jailed after trying to attack a police officer during riot in the city centre. Jamie Easterbrook, 43, was captured on police body camera footage during the August 3 disorder aggressively trying to reach a female officer who had repeatedly told the group of protesters to move for dog units.

Easterbrook, of South Bristol, was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison at Bristol Crown Court on Friday, August 16 after pleading guilty to violent disorder for his involvement in a violent clash between anti-immigration groups, counter protesters and riot police.

The court heard Easterbrook had been “an active participant” in the disorder. He goaded and acted aggressively towards police officers, the court was told, and the behaviour of the group to which Easterbrook was a part of, had a substantial impact on the public.

Footage released by Avon and Somerset Police shows Easterbrook in a striped t-shirt pushed back by a police officer, who called for the group to move for police dog units. The crowd rallied after he was pushed back and Easterbrook aggressively reaches for the female officer who pushed him down. The group are once again held back by officers with riot shields.

Detective Chief Inspector Clement Goodwin said: “The behaviour of some people on that day was completely unacceptable. It was not a lawful protest. Three people have now been handed lengthy prison sentences after admitting to their involvement in the shameful scenes we saw that day and we are continuing to identify and arrest others who also played a part.

“We always work to facilitate peaceful protest but when that crosses the line into criminality we will take action.

Easterbrook was sentenced on Friday alongside Zak Baker, Lisa Bishop and Joseph Bradford, who all pleaded guilty to violent disorder for their involvement in the violent disorder which broke out on August 3.

DCI Goodwin continued: “A total of 29 people have now been arrested with 15 having since been charged and those numbers will continue to increase as the investigation progresses.”

Of the 29 people now arrested, 15 have been charged already, and six of those have already been jailed. One of the remaining 14 has been released with no further action taken. Almost all are being charged with violent disorder, and those convicted are being jailed typically for around two years.
Bristol Post

A man has been sentenced following disorder at a protest gathering in Weymouth.

About 400 anti-immigration demonstrators and 200 Stand Up to Racism campaigners gathered on The Esplanade on 4 August.

The protest was one of a number across England and Northern Ireland, following the fatal stabbings of three girls in Southport.

James Hepburn, 31, of Woolcombe Road, Portland, was handed a community order by Poole magistrates after he pleaded guilty to using threatening words or behaviour.

A previous charge of encouraging or assisting murder was discontinued by prosecutors.

Two police officers were injured as they formed a wall of bodies and police vans to stop the rival groups meeting, a court previously heard.

Hepburn was also ordered to undergo mental health treatment for 12 months, carry out a two-week rehabilitation activity and pay a £200 fine.

BBC News

A Bromley scaffolder has been jailed for eight months after he pleaded guilty to violent disorder at a far-right demonstration in Whitehall.

Callum Flynn, 29, of Belgravia Gardens, was involved in the Enough is Enough demonstration near Downing Street on July 31.

Other demonstrators threw metal barriers, missiles and assaulted police officers but Flynn’s role was to kick at a metal barrier, try to push through the police cordon and chant at officers.

At Inner London Crown Court on Tuesday (August 27) Flynn insisted he is not a racist and has no affiliation with the far-right. He said he was there to protest the UK border policy and got carried away.

Deciding to jail Flynn, Judge Benedict Kelleher said: “The court cannot lose sight of the context here. This was disorder occurring when tensions were high across the country and there was risk of further disorder.”

The demonstration, organised by Daniel Thomas, took place the day after riots in Southport following the killing of three children.

Police imposed conditions that demonstrators must remain in a cordoned area of Richmond Terrace and the protest must end by 8.30pm.

The demonstration grew violent as people broke out of the area while glass bottles and cans were thrown at officers.

Flynn was identified as being part of a group within the cordon at around 7.15pm.

Prosecutor Gregor McKinley said: “He comes to notice as there was a group of demonstrators trying to push through the police cordon.

“He was one of the people pushing at the barriers and generally remonstrating with police at that stage of the demonstration.”

Police body worn video footage showed metal barriers being picked up and thrown at police by another man while other protesters charged at officers.

While that was going on around him Flynn was seen to kick a metal barrier towards police.

He was arrested on August 9 while working in central London. When interviewed by police he answered no comment to all questions.

Andrew Forsyth, defending Flynn, said:” Mr Flynn wants it to be known that he is not in any way a racist.”

He said Flynn works on a building site and gets along with “people of all colours and creeds”.

Mr Forsyth said Flynn was there to protest the UK’s border policy.

“That is, as your honour will know, a perfectly reasonable concern and something they were entirely within their rights to protest against,” Mr Forsyth said.

Flynn does not have a considerable criminal record, though in 2016 he was convicted of stealing bicycles.

Mr Forsyth said Flynn had too much to drink before the protest and was a “follower not a leader”.

“It is a single kick at a barrier. My submission in relation to that is that it is a kick in anger but it is not a concerted attempt to bring that barrier down. Nonetheless he is thoroughly ashamed of his behaviour,” Mr Forsyth said.

Sentencing Flynn, Judge Kelleher said of the kick: “It was not, in my judgement, particularly forceful and it didn’t push the barrier over. However, by that point you must have been aware it was a very volatile situation.”

He said while police were doing their best to maintain order, Flynn’s actions could have encouraged others to further threaten them.

While Judge Kelleher accepted that Flynn is genuinely remorseful, he said the context of the offence taking place at a time of disorder across the UK means a prison sentence is necessary.

Flynn said “cheers” as Judge Kelleher sentenced him to eight months in prison.

News Shopper

“His behaviour was awful, quite frankly, and he thoroughly accepts that. He has got thoroughly carried away because he was so annoyed at the police because they wouldn’t let him get to his bicycle.”

A furious grandfather got involved in serious scenes of mob violence in Hull city centre after becoming “incredibly angry” that police would not let him retrieve a bicycle that he had earlier chained to a lamp post.

Ex-drug addict Andrew Wardrobe was later seen pushing a large waste bin towards police, encouraging others and carrying a police riot shield that he had somehow managed to grab, Hull Crown Court heard.

Wardrobe, 54, of Falkland Road, Greatfield estate, east Hull, admitted violent disorder on August 3. His behaviour was part of 12 hours of trouble in the city that day, sparked by the deaths of three young girls in Southport.

The disturbances in Hull included rowdy and violent scenes outside the Royal Hotel in Ferensway, which was being used at the time to house asylum seekers. There were confrontations with police, who were forming a protective line.

There were also disturbances in Queen Victoria Square, Jameson Street and at a garage.

Wardrobe was seen pushing a large blue bin towards police outside the Royal Hotel and trying to get someone to help him do so. He was holding a police riot shield outside the hotel but it was not clear where he got it, the court heard.

He handed himself in to police on August 8 after images of suspects were put out by police. He claimed that he was at the scene by accident and that he had been squirted in the face with pepper spray. He denied any racial motivation for his actions.

Wardrobe had convictions for 45 previous offences, including a one-year custodial sentence in 1989 for dishonesty and another custodial sentence in 1997. His most recent conviction was in 2014 for theft.

Rachel Scott, mitigating, said that Wardrobe was involved in the early stages of the trouble and he was shouting at police. “The main reason that he became involved in this was that he could not get to his bike,” said Miss Scott.

“He had tied his bicycle up to a lamp post earlier. He was trying to get to his bicycle. The police interpreted this as being that he was part of the group.

“He became incredibly angry at this. He was overwhelmed and he got carried away. The behaviour is disgraceful and he is thoroughly embarrassed by his actions and so he should be.

“His behaviour was awful, quite frankly, and he thoroughly accepts that. He has got thoroughly carried away because he was so annoyed at the police because they wouldn’t let him get to his bicycle.

“He behaved terribly. He has encouraged others. There is no getting around that.”

Wardrobe had previously worked as a double glazer and joiner but he developed a heroin and crack cocaine addiction. He had six grandsons, the court heard. He had been in custody for six-and-a-half months.

Wardrobe was jailed for one year but, because of his time in custody on remand, he was deemed to be “time served” and was due to be released later that day.

Hull Live

Seven men have been jailed for a combined 16 years and eight months for their role in disorder in Merseyside.

They appeared at Liverpool Crown Court recently after all pleading guilty to violent disorder in Southport at previous hearings.

It means the total number of people now in prison cells following disorder in Southport and Liverpool stands at 22.

The latest men jailed are:

David Engleby, 29, of Scarisbrick New Road, Southport, was sentenced to two years and four months.

Paul Dryhurst, 33, of Gale Road, Litherland, was sentenced to two years.

Luke Summerfield, 33, of Mansfield Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, was sentenced to two years and two months.

Connor Prescott, 25, of Vaughan Road, Birkdale, was sentenced to two years and four months.

Harvey Gabbott, 21, of Hillside, Tarleton, was sentenced to two years.

Andrew Jackson, 41, of Ramford Street, St Helens, was sentenced to two years and eight months.

Joshua Jones, 31, of St Mark’s Road, in Chester, was sentenced to three years and two months.

Gabbott was sentenced on Friday, 16 August, and Engleby, Dryhurst, Summerfield, Prescott, and Jackson, were sentenced yesterday, Monday, 20 August. Jackson, as well as being sentenced for violent disorder, was also sentenced for possession of a controlled class B drug (cannabis).

Assistant Chief Constable Paul White said: “These seven individuals took part in violent disorder in Southport and it is right that they have been given custodial sentences.

“We are sending out a clear message to anyone who has been involved in violent disorder recently that they will be dealt with through the courts and we are continuing to look through evidence to track them down. To behave so badly is despicable and I am appalled by their behaviour.”

Merseyside Police

Over 200 years worth of jail sentences have now been handed out to over 80 people following scenes of disorder at a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham last summer.

This comes after three more men appeared before Sheffield Crown Court yesterday (Monday, February 24) to be sentenced for their crimes.

Morgan Heeley was part of the mob that set upon the Holiday Inn Express Hotel in Manvers, Rotherham, on Sunday, August 4, 2024.

An active participant in the scenes of violence, Heeley was recorded on CCTV throwing missiles at police, pushing officers and attempting to release a fire extinguisher in their direction.

His actions did not stop there as he was videoed kicking hotel doors and damaging the building’s windows – before placing burning materials in a commercial bin at the exit to the hotel.

Despite being initially pictured without a face covering, during the disorder Heeley attempted to avoid detection by donning a balaclava. However, a distinctive tattoo on his arm revealed his identity to the officers he was trying to attack.

The 26-year-old was arrested on September 18 and was questioned by officers, as well as shown a video compilation of his behaviour. Throughout the interview, Heeley offered no comment, sitting in silence.

Heeley was subsequently charged with violent disorder and arson with intent to endanger life, pleading guilty to both counts at an earlier hearing.

Heeley, of Margaret Road, Darfield, Barnsley, was sentenced to eight years in jail, with a further three years on licence.

South Yorkshire Police said Mason Lowe, of owfield Road, Bolton-upon-Dearne, was recorded throughout the disorder “behaving in a disgraceful manner.”

He attempted to kick officers and grab their riots shields, the force said.

He was also seen attempting to hold a piece of boarding against the fire door of the hotel in a bid to stop people inside from putting out a fire.

The 28-year-old was identified after several videos of him at the disorder were collected and analysed by officers.

Lowe pleaded guilty to violent disorder and arson with intent to endanger life at an earlier hearing and was jailed for seven years and six months, with a further three years on licence.

Also present at the disorder was Paul Edwards.

South Yorkshire Police said the 29-year-old was “part of the group of thugs who rushed into the hotel after a door was smashed in.”

CCTV captured him walking around the inside the hotel before exiting through a smashed glass window.

Once arrested, Edwards claimed in a police interview that he was at the disorder in a ‘peaceful capacity’ as a bystander and that he only entered the hotel to get his friend out of the building.

Despite this, Edwards, of Rotherham Road, Great Houghton, Barnsley, pleaed guilty to violent disorder. He was jailed for two years and six months.

Sheffield Star