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EDL

Thug glassed a man at his Newcastle home – because he asked him to put his dog on a lead.

By
February 15, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, Jailed
Matthew Walley

Matthew Walley

DRUNKEN Matthew Walley smashed a man over the head with a bottle – after he was asked to put his dog on a lead.

The 22-year-old was told by Mark Dias to put his dog on a leash as he was concerned it may harm his partner’s cat.

But Walley who had drunk 20 cans of lager, became aggressive.

Mr Dias told him he did not want any trouble but the defendant raised his hand and smashed a bottle or glass on his head causing a 2cm cut

Now Walley has been jailed for two years and three months after admitting assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard Walley had spent May 25 drinking and at 11pm Mr Dias noticed the defendant’s dog was in his partner’s garden in Silverdale Road, Newcastle.

Prosecutor Joanne Wallbanks said: “Mr Dias asked the defendant if he would put the dog on its lead as he was concerned his partner’s cat would be harmed.

“The defendant was acting as if he had been drinking, and was irrational and aggressive.

“The defendant said, ‘Come on lad’. He was twice the size as Mr Dias who said he did not want any trouble.

“The defendant raised his hand and slammed a bottle or glass on Mr Dias’s head causing a 1cm-2cm laceration, which was glued.”

Police arrived and Walley said: “If you touch me I will set my dog on you.”

The court heard Walley, of Kimberley Road, Newcastle, has previous convictions for threatening behaviour, robbery, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Stuart Muldoon, mitigating, said Walley had a history of mental illness but his family have seen a dramatic change in him as a result of the medication he has been prescribed.

Mr Muldoon said: “He is adamant that his future is positive. He now realises the triggers behind his offending, both the use of alcohol, binge drinking, and the regular use of cannabis. He appreciates cannabis exacerbates whatever issues are going on in his mind.”

Judge Paul Glenn said a sentence of immediate custody was inevitable and jailed Walley for 27 months.

He said: “Mr Dias was simply trying to get his partner’s cat in the house. He was concerned about the cat’s safety and asked you to put your dog on a lead.

“You became aggressive and confrontational.

“He was scared and he told you he did not want any trouble. You smashed a glass or bottle against his head and the glass shattered.

“Fortunately the injuries were not as serious as they could have been but they required hospital treatment.”

Judge Glenn said the offence was aggravated because Walley used a weapon, he has relevant previous convictions, he was on bail for another matter and was drunk.

He added: “As matters stand you represent a high risk of re-offending and of causing serious harm to other people.”

Stoke Sentinel

Matt Walley facebook

Matt Walley facebook

EDL member sentenced for nailing copy of Koran to Muslim centre

By
February 12, 2014
community order, criminal damage, EDL, English Defence League, hate crime, racially-aggravated criminal damage

A MEMBER of a far-right group nailed a copy of the Koran to a proposed Muslim education centre.

Graham French, 28, also sprayed EDL, which stands for English Defence League, on the former Melrose Arms in Shotton Colliery, in December.

It was after planning permission for a change of use, which has caused controversy, was granted.

French, of Dene Crescent, Shotton Colliery, admitted racial or religious aggravated criminal damage to the wall of a multi-faith centre.

He was given a community order with six months supervision at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court plus a one-month tagged curfew between 10.30pm and 7am.

Sunderland Echo

EDL demonstrator who shouted racist abuse in Farnworth loses appeal

By
February 1, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, Racial Conviction, Racist Abuse

AN ENGLISH Defence League demonstrator has lost an appeal against a conviction for shouting racist abuse at a rally in Farnworth last year.

John Banks was among the EDL supporters who congregated at Farnworth Park on August 26 last year where there was also a counter demonstration staged by Unite Against Facism.

Within seconds of getting off a coach at the park, Banks was arrested for shouting a racist remark.

He was later found guilty of using racist threatening or abusive words or behaviour in a trial at Bolton Magistrates Court on November 26 and yesterday, at Bolton Crown Court, he appealed against the conviction.

Banks, aged 55, of Adwick Lane, Toll Bar, Doncaster, arrived at court dressed in a T-shirt bearing the slogan “Gay Rights in Islam”.

Recorder Abigail Hudson and two magistrates hearing the appeal had to halt the proceedings three times after Banks tried to use it as a stage for his political beliefs instead of concentrating on the facts of the case.

The police officers who arrested Banks said that Banks arrived in the park carrying a loudhailer and behaving “loudly”.

A man was seen holding up a flag with an Islamic symbol on it and the court heard Banks shouted a racist remark towards the person carrying it as he was arrested.

Banks, who boasted that he had been arrested in several towns around the country, told the court: “If someone comes to an EDL demonstration they are not going to watch Bambi.”

Recorder Hudson told Banks the case against him had been proved and his appeal was dismissed.

Bolton News

Father jailed over Walsall EDL rally violence

By
February 1, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, Jailed, Uncategorized

GB

He went out to protest on the streets of the Black Country, his face covered with a mask bearing the cross of St George, before hurling missiles towards police.

But today father-of-two and English Defence League supporter Gareth Ballan was starting a 27-month sentence behind bars.

Ballan wore the mask as he joined hundreds of others for the English Defence League rally in Walsall town centre.

As scenes turned ugly he was seen to throw two missiles, one a drinks can and the other an unconfirmed object, which may have been a brick, towards a police line.

He was later seen standing at the front of a crowd of EDL supporters with his arms raised in the air, chanting and encouraging the crowd by pointing towards the police line.

At Wolverhampton Crown Court, sitting in Birmingham yesterday, he was sentenced to 27 months for violent disorder relating to the events of September 29, 2012.

Mr Howard Searle, prosecuting, said that although there was no evidence of the 28-year-old kicking or punching there had been two objects thrown.

Mr Harry Lally, defending, said bricklayer Ballan, of Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, was remorseful and at the time had personal issues.

He added: “It is out of character. He travelled of course from the North East to Walsall and he fully accepts what he did do that wholly out of order.”

More than 30 men were sentenced at Crown Court in December but the case of Ballan had been adjourned for the preparation of a pre-sentence report. He had initially denied the offence but pleaded guilty on the day of the trial.

Judge Mr Nicholas Webb, said: “During this disorder you were provocative and on two occasions threw a missile.”

Scenes in Walsall on the say of the rally were described as an ‘orgy of violence’ as yobs threw wood and bricks towards police. Thugs were also spotted overturning and dismantling a table to use its legs as weapons.

Police carried out a year-long investigation to bring those responsible to justice and 31 men had already been sentenced for more than 55 years. Officers spent almost 500 hours working on the case to track down those involved.

Express & Star

Extremist nailed Koran to pub wall in protest against Islamic centre plans

By
January 24, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, Racial Conviction
Melrose Arms, Office Row, Front Street, Shotton Colliery. There are proposals for it to become as Muslim education centre.

Melrose Arms, Office Row, Front Street, Shotton Colliery. There are proposals for it to become as Muslim education centre.

A MEMBER of a far-right group nailed a copy of the Koran onto a pub which is due to be transformed into a Muslim education centre.

Graham French also wrote “EDL” on the wall of former Melrose Arms in Shotton Colliery – which has been the centre of demonstrations by the English Defence League in the village, after planning permission to change the use of the building was granted.

Since buying the property, local businessman Kaiser Javeed Choudry has been a repeat victim of crime, Peterlee Magistrates’ Court heard.

Prosecutor Vicky Wilson said there had been great opposition to the plans and Mr Choudry’s property had been targeted with spray paint and windows had been smashed.

Ms Wilson said on December 14, EDL had been daubed twice in white paint on the building, causing £500 of damage, and an open Koran had been nailed onto a wooden board covering a window.

She added: “Police took the Koran for forensic analysis and found several links to the defendant, including a palm print on the page.”

She told the court that information on Facebook showed French, of Dene Crescent, Shotton, is a member of a group called the Shotton Defence League.

When French was arrested, he said it was a “revenge attack” after he was followed home from the pub one day by a female wearing a Burka. A statement from Mr Choudry said: “The whole situation has got me upset.

“We are trying to improve the building and make the area better.”

French pleaded guilty to causing racially or religiously-aggravated criminal damage.

Jaxon Taylor, defending, said the damage involved “a small amount of graffiti” and disputed that it could have cost £500 to fix.

The case was adjourned until February 12 for a report to be prepared about French.

Chairman of the bench, David Carr, said: “Not only is the daubing of the words racially aggravated, but the nailing of the Koran to the wall makes it even worse.”

French was bailed on the condition that he does not contact Mr Choudry.

Sunderland Echo

Former EDL leader Tommy Robinson sent to jail for mortgage fraud.

By
January 23, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, Jailed
1 Comment

THE former leader of the English Defence League has been jailed for 18-months for mortgage fraud.

Lennon, 31, also known as Tommy Robinson and the founder of the EDL, was imprisoned for his part in a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain two mortgages amounting to £162,000.

He made two loans to people wanting to buy property and then pointed them towards a bent woman mortgage broker who helped obtain phoney pay slips and income details.

Before he was led off to start his prison sentence, the court heard the 31 year-old father of three will have to spend his time in custody in solitary confinement because he is now in danger.

His barrister Charles Sherrard QC said that in January 2013 when the Yaxley-Lennon was jailed for 10 month for using someone else’s passport to travel to the USA he had spent the whole time in solitary and was moved to four different jails for his safety.

“Even in solitary he was regarded as being in danger,” said Mr Sharrard.

However, it emerged in court today, that since last autumn when he announced he had left the EDL, citing increasingly racist elements within the group, he has now been alienated by the followers in the organisation he once led.

Yaxley-Lennon founded the EDL in 2009 after five Muslim men demonstrated in Luton against a homecoming parade by the Royal Anglian Regiment.

Mr Sherrard said that “He has alienated another large part of the community who saw him as their leader”

That meant, said the barrister, that Yaxley-Lennon would again have to spend his time away from other prisoners.

“He is on a wanted list for Al-Shabab so the prospect of prison for him takes on another level,” said Mr Sherrard.

The court heard how in the past while still the leader of the EDL Yaxley-Lennon’s home had been attacked and he and his family moved to a safe house.

Today at St Albans Crown Court he appeared for sentence having earlier pleaded guilty to mortgage fraud offences.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiring with others to obtain a mortgage by misrepresentation from the Abbey and Halifax building societies.

Judge Andrew Bright QC hearing the case described Yaxley Lennon as the “instigator if not the architect” of some of the frauds.

Passing sentence the judge told him “This was an operation which was fraudulent from the outset and involved a significant amount of forward planning.

Yaxley-Lennon will serve half the 18 month sentence behind bars before he is released.

He described the former EDL leader as a “fixer” by introducing others to bent mortgage broker Deborah Rothschild.

“I am satisfied you took part in a thoroughly dishonest course of conduct.”

The judge said he realised that any prison sentence he passed would be much harder for “Yaxley-Lennon” because of the need to protect him and the fact that he will have to serve it in solitary confinement.

Since leaving the EDL Yaxley Lennon has been travelling around the country with other community leaders promoting cohesion between communities.

On Monday he had been due to attend a Holocaust Memorial Day in Ipswich.

With him in the dock was Steven Vowles 26 of Heron Drive, Bushmead, Luton who admitted conspiring with others to obtain a mortgage by misrepresentation and transferring criminal property.

He also admitted possessing 3.48 grams of cocaine with intent to supply and being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

Vowles had been a one time apprentice at Yaxley-Lennon’s plumbing business.

Lisa Moore 28 of Newbury Lane, Silsoe, Bedfordshire pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obtain a mortgage by fraudulent misrepresentation.

Mortgage Broker Deborah Rothschild, 44, of Poplar, Toddington, Bedfordshire, pleaded guilty to four charges of conspiring to commit fraud by false representation. The charges involved the obtaining of four mortgages.

Finally a cousin of Yaxley-Lennon, Anjee Darcy, 31, of Hardwick Green, Luton pleaded guilty to two offences of conspiring to commit fraud by misrepresentation and false accounting.

Judge Andrew Bright QC was told how Yaxley-Lennon loans totaling £40,000 to Vowles and later Moore to help them with the deposits for a property in Luton.

But he also introduced them to crooked mortgage broke Deborah Rothschild who specialised in helping people obtain a mortgage who wouldn’t normally be eligible because of insufficient income and capital.

Rothschild the mother of a two year-old son assisted Moore, Vowles and Darcy in their fraudulent applications by providing phoney pay slips and income details.

The fraudulent mortgages she obtain came to a total of £640,000.

She was jailed for 18 months, Vowles was jailed for 27 months and Darcy was given a 15 month sentence suspended for 18 months and told she must carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

Moore was given a six month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and told she must carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and pay costs of £1,500.

Luton on Sunday

Far-right activist admits assault and firing air rifle in New Addington

By
January 21, 2014
assault, community order, EDL, English Defence League
Frank Day

Frank Day

A FAR-RIGHT activist has been handed a community order for assault and firing an air rifle out of his New Addington home.

Frank Day, 65, attacked Samuel Bartlett and later fired a Titan air rifle from his house in Arnhem Drive, New Addington, on September 3.

He pleaded guilty to assault by beating and firing the weapon at Croydon Magistrates’ Court today (Friday).

Day, a member of the English Defence League (EDL), was sentenced to a 12 month community order during which he must complete 40 hours of unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay Mr Bartlett £60, and pay £85 costs.

The air rifle will be forfeited and destroyed.

Mr Day’s legal representative said his client accepted that firing the gun had been a “foolish act”.

In February 2012, Mr Day publicly campaigned against plans to build a mosque in Purley.

Dangerous Exeter child kidnapper and armed robber arrested after four months on the run

By
January 16, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, Jailed, Uncategorized

POLICE have confirmed that a dangerous armed robber and paedophile from Exeter was arrested this afternoon – four months after going on the run.

Officers cuffed Mark Sleman in the Smallfield area of Surrey.

A police spokesman said Sleman is currently in custody and would be returned to prison.

PC Mark Nagle who led the search for Sleman told the Echo recently that the net was widening in the search for him and officers believe he is no longer in the city.

Mark Sleman, also known as Archie, had once been convicted for kidnapping and trying to rape a 10-year-old child. He was released last year on licence as part of a seven-year sentence for robbing a homeless man at knifepoint and attempting to rob a garage shop supervisor in Exeter, again armed with a knife.

Despite being described by the judge as a “cold, callous psychopath” and being diagnosed with a personality disorder, the English Defence League supporter was allowed out of prison early.

He subsequently fled his bail hostel in Exeter and until today’s arrest had spent nearly four months on the run.

In a recent interview PC Nagle said: “We are following up leads and putting all our efforts into catching him,” he said.

“My message to the public who are concerned is that we are working very hard on bringing him back behind bars.”


Exeter Express and Echo

Man jailed after bottle attack on rival which almost sliced his nose off

By
January 14, 2014
assault, EDL, English Defence League, Jailed

A MAN who almost had his nose sliced off when he was attacked with a broken bottle has told how it has devastated his life.

William Burnside was yesterday jailed for six years for the vicious assault outside Yates’s Wine Lodge in Darlington last summer.

The 24-year-old was told by a judge at Teesside Crown Court: “A broken bottle can cause disfigurement – it can cause death.”

Victim Christopher Turner suffered three wounds down to the muscle in his arm as he tried to block further blows towards his face.

Police said afterwards that had any of the thrusts made their way past his defences, Mr Turner could have been caught in the neck.

Detective Constable Mick Trodden said: “They have both been lucky in a way. It could have been a murder case we were dealing with.”

The court heard how bad feeling between the two men had “simmered” for years before they clashed at the town centre pub.

The pair argued before Burnside was asked to leave, but he returned with a bottle of brown ale which he smashed and used as a weapon.

In an impact statement, 26-year-old Mr Turner – who is scarred for life – said he still suffers from numbness in his face and left arm.

He said he had to turn down a labouring job because he cannot lift heavy objects, and told how he is also unable to go to the gym.

Prosecutor Harry Hadfield said Mr Turner underwent a four-hour operation and plastic surgery, and has had four further hospital visits.

Vic Laffey, mitigating, said: “The incident occurred after a build-up of bad feeling which had simmered for a number of years.

“Mr Burnside deeply regrets what happened on this evening, and he deeply regrets the injuries he has caused this young man.

“He is clearly remorseful and up until this point in time, he had led a relatively blame-free life. He will take his punishment.”

Burnside, of Elton Parade, Darlington, admitted wounding with intent on August 22 last year at an earlier court hearing.

He told police after handing himself in that he had downed at least seven bottles of Newcastle Brown Ale and a pint that day.

Judge Simon Bourne-Arton said: “Goodness knows what went through your mind on this occasion when you carried out this very serious attack.

“When he came out, you broke that bottle and you had a very fearsome and dangerous weapon at your disposal.

“You broke it for the one and only reason to attack him and cause him more serious injury.

“He effects of the alcohol you had wore off. The effects of what you did to him will never wear off.

“He was left with scars and will remain with scars to his face and arm. His life has changed as a result of what you did.”

Northern Echo

Burnside, 2nd from the left

Burnside, 2nd from the left

Racist Wolverhampton man jailed over Ku Klux Klan video

By
January 8, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, hate crime, Jailed, Racial Conviction, stirring up racial hatred
Christopher Philips / Darren Clift

Christopher Philips / Darren Clifft

Christopher Philips, from Wolverhampton, who used a series of pseudonyms and even impersonated mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik had pleaded guilty to posting three videos online, which were filmed at a music concert and intended to stir up racial hatred.

The court was previously told the event had been organised by an extreme right wing group in West Wales in March.

Philips – who was formerly known as Darren Clifft – was arrested later that month following an investigation by the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit.

The 23-year-old also faced a second charge of using words or behaviour intending to incite racial hatred, but it was left to lie on file after he pleaded not guilty.

During his sentencing today at Wolverhampton Crown Court it was revealed Philips had a Ku Klux Klan outfit in his room.

Judge John Warner told him: “Publication of this material which has particularly historical connotations would have been deeply offensive to many people.”

Det Insp Darren Powney, senior investigating officer for the CTU, said: “We understand how offensive and distressing this type of material can be and we worked with the Crown Prosecution Service to bring Philips before the courts at the earliest opportunity.

Express & Star

EDL News

cliff manc demo

clifft manc demo 1