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EDL

Suspended sentence for threats to burn down a Mosque

By
July 29, 2013
EDL, English Defence League, facebook, Suspended sentence
APOLOGY: Steven Ballard leaving court. The Facebook user claimed the furore caused by his "menacing" comment had cost him his job, girlfriend and his child.

APOLOGY: Steven Ballard leaving court. The Facebook user claimed the furore caused by his “menacing” comment had cost him his job, girlfriend and his child.

Steven Ballard, 27, of Grimsby, admitted sending an offensive or menacing message on May 23 on the Grimsby division EDL fan page on Facebook .

It read: “Burn the mosque down the end of Legsby Avenue. That will tell the clowns in charge in this country that we ain’t taking this s*** and it will start a nationwide action going. “Grimsby will be on the map big time then.”

Ballard was given a 12-week suspended prison sentence, a six-month supervision order and must pay £85 costs and a Government-imposed £80 victims’ surcharge.

This is Grimsby

AN anti-mosque protester avoided jail for posession of cocaine with intent to supply.

By
July 29, 2013
community order, Drugs, EDL, English Defence League, Infidels, Public order offence, Suspended sentence

AN anti-mosque protester avoided jail after he was found to be carrying cocaine following a street demonstration.

Warren Faulkner also offered to “sort out” his differences with a police officer when they clashed during the protest in Millfield, Sunderland.

Newcastle Crown Court was told Faulkner was among a group demonstrating about plans to build a mosque in St Marks Road.

The 42-year-old, of Webb Avenue, Westlea, Seaham, was then spotted by an officer in a back lane shouting “come on, come on, bring it on”.

The court heard Faulkner tried to trip up the officer, who was separating the right-wing demonstrators from the anti-fascist group. As he was being detained, Webb told the officer: “I will give you my phone number, and we can sort this out without your uniform on”.

Prosecutor Michael Bunch said: “Following this, a small packet of cocaine was found in his trouser pocket, with a street value of £34.”

Faulkner, who had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to possession of a controlled substance with intent to supply, and a public order offence, claimed he was only carrying the drug after someone asked him to keep it for them.

Vic Laffey, defending, said Faulkner had lost his job as a result of being brought before the court.

He said: “This was a straightforward agreement with the friend to keep the drugs, with no suggestion at all that he would make money or a profit from them. He intended to give the drugs back.”

Judge Simon Hickey QC sentenced Faulkner to six months in prison, suspended for 12 months. He also ordered him to do 100 hours’ unpaid work and abide by a supervision order.

Judge Hickey said: “You were there to deliberately antagonise the other group, and you offered to sort it out with him if he removed his uniform.”

The court was told Faulkner had 22 convictions, his last back in 2002.

Sunderland Echo
EDLNews

Abuse and threatening behaviour at the EDL Walsall demo

By
July 29, 2013
community order, EDL, English Defence League, Jailed, Public order offence, threatening behaviour

Jack Beasley

An English Defence League supporter who shouted abuse and used threatening behaviour during a demonstration in Walsall – has been handed a criminal anti-social behaviour order after narrowly avoiding a jail term due to health problems.

Jack Beasley travelled from Durham to take part in the protest which brought Walsall town centre to a standstill on September 29 last year, Walsall Magistrates Court heard yesterday.

Trouble flared, in Leicester Street, during the rally.

Miss Jo Taylor, prosecuting, said: “By the time the afternoon approached things were clearly getting out of hand.”

She said Beasley had been wearing a black EDL top and was identified on CCTV raising his arms and chanting.

She said other people around him were throwing ‘missiles’ at police and Beasley looked as though he had picked up some items and was making a throwing action in various photos.

He denied throwing any objects.

Miss Taylor told the court: “As you can see from some photos, he is on the frontline behaving in an aggressive manner, chanting at police.”

Beasley, aged 23, of Cedar Road, Bishop Auckland, initially denied using threatening words or behaviour with the intent to cause fear or provoke unlawful violence.

But he changed his plea to guilty on the day of his trial.

Sentencing Beasley, District Judge Michael Morris said: “It is clear you have hatred for certain members of the community. Whether you are going to change your ways or not, I do not know.

“You were picking up items which could be used to throw at police or demonstrators.”

He said the offence would usual carry a prison sentence but was prepared to suspend the jail term because Beasley had health problems.

Beasley was sentenced to 12 weeks in jail, suspended for 12 months, and was handed a community order with a supervision requirement.

He was ordered to carry out 100 hours unpaid work, pay £250 costs and was handed a three-year criminal anti-social behaviour order which forbids him from attending any rally by the EDL or Unite Against Fascism.

It also prevents him from displaying any banner or placard with writing or a logo which is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any other person.

A number of protesters and police officers were treated for minor cuts and bruises after angry scenes unfolded last September.

Express and Star

EDL Northampton division admin admits cruelty to seven ponies seized by the RSPCA.

By
July 28, 2013
Animal Cruelty, EDL, English Defence League, Jailed

Paul FlowersPaul Flowers Horse

Paul Flowers, an EDL Northampton division admin, was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison and banned from keeping animals after admitting cruelty to seven ponies seized by the RSPCA.

Welfare officers found the starving animals in a field in Blisworth.

Some had ground down their tooth enamel trying to get the last blades of grass from the field in Station Road. Because the couple, who are both unemployed, refused to hand ownership of the animals to the charity, the ponies had to be kept at a boarding house which cost the RSPCA £18,000 in fees.

The ponies have now been rehomed.

BBC News

Go directly to jail!

By
July 26, 2013
EDL, English Defence League, Jailed, robbery
Moorhouse posing with Tommy Robinson

Moorhouse posing with Tommy Robinson

In a speedy case highlighted by South Yorkshire police, Errol Brown, 23, and Mark Luke Moorhouse, 25, both from Norfolk Park, were jailed for five years each just two months after robbing a city centre off licence.

One of them lunged over the counter and grabbed money from the till while the other attacked a member of staff in the shop.

Det Chief Insp Richard Fewkes, who is leading Operation Impact, said: “I am very happy with the process that has seen these criminals brought to justice in a very short space of time.

Sheffield Star

A woman has been fined £100 after she drunkenly told police she was going “P*** bashing with the EDL”.

By
July 25, 2013
EDL, English Defence League, Fined, Public order offence, Racial Conviction, racially aggravated public order offence, Racist Abuse

Woman fined for shouting racial abuse while drunk on her way to EDL rally

A woman has been fined £100 after she drunkenly told police she was going “P*** bashing with the EDL”.

Lianne Tyler made the racist remark to a custody sergeant after being arrested on her way to Saturday’s English Defence League demo in Birmingham city centre.

The 20-year-old, of Brailes Grove, Bordesley Green , also twice referred to a police officer as a “black c***”, the court heard.

City magistrates were told officers had found Tyler drunk and carrying alcohol in New Street. She refused to be moved on and told police: “I’m not f****** leaving town, I’m going to EDL.”

Tyler, wearing a T-shirt and combat shorts in court, pleaded guilty to offences of failing to disperse and racially aggravated public order.

She was fined £50 on each charge, but the fine was deemed served by her time spent in custody since Saturday afternoon.

Police made a total of 20 arrests in connection with the EDL event in Centenary Square and a counter anti-fascist demonstration in Chamberlain Square.

Officers are now studying CCTV footage from the day to identify other possible offences.

There were a total of three hospital admissions for minor injuries, including a police officer who received head injuries after being hit by bricks. He was treated at hospital and later discharged.

Police say up to 2,000 people had gathered at the two rival protests .

But the unrest had repercussions for businesses in the city.

Jerry Blackett, chief executive of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, said: “Retail sales contribute an estimated £3.1 million to Birmingham’s economy per day.

“It’s not possible to know what reduction to trading was caused by Saturday’s demonstrations but at this stage in the fragile economic recovery, we can’t afford any loss of trade, no matter how small.

“There is also the importance of Birmingham’s reputation, which has been transformed in recent years into a popular leisure destination.

“As the largest city outside of London, Birmingham will always be a centre for demonstrations.

“While the right to free speech must be upheld, we need to do all we can to make sure this is exercised in a responsible and safe way.”

Birmingham Mail

EDL Leader Lennon Jailed For Passport Offence

By
July 23, 2013
EDL, English Defence League, Jailed, Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, Tommy Robinson

Stephen Lennon admits using a passport in the name of Andrew McMaster to board a Virgin Atlantic Flight from Heathrow to New York

The leader of the English Defence League has been jailed for 10 months for using someone else’s passport to get into the United States.

Stephen Lennon, 30, pleaded guilty to possession of a false identity document with improper intention, contrary to the Identity Documents Act 2010, at Southwark Crown Court.

Lennon used a passport in the name of Andrew McMaster to board a Virgin Atlantic Flight from Heathrow to New York, but was caught out after his fingerprints were taken by customs officials.

The court heard that Lennon, who had previously been refused entry to the US, used his friend’s passport to travel to the country in September.

He used a self check-in kiosk to board the Virgin Atlantic flight at Heathrow, and was allowed through when the document was checked in the bag drop area.

But when he arrived at New York’s JFK Airport, customs officials who took his fingerprints realised he was not Mr McMaster.

Lennon was asked to attend a second interview but left the airport, entering the US illegally.

He stayed just one night and travelled back to the UK the following day using his own legitimate passport – which bears the name Paul Harris.

The court heard that is the name that appears on the EDL leader’s passport, although he uses aliases.

The court heard that he was previously jailed for assault in 2005 and also has previous convictions for drugs offences and public order offences.

Sentencing the 30-year-old, Judge Alistair McCreath, told him: “I am going to sentence you under the name of Stephen Lennon, although I suspect that is not actually your true name, in the sense that it is not the name that appears on your passport.

“What you did went absolutely to the heart of the immigration controls that the United States are entitled to have.

“Had it been known in this country that you were proposing to leave under a false passport, you would not have been accepted on to the plane and you would not have been permitted to leave this country on a false passport.

“It’s not in any sense trivial.”


Sky News

EDL founder Stephen Lennon fails in appeal over Luton brawl

By
July 23, 2013
community order, EDL, English Defence League, football, Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, threatening behaviour, Tommy Robinson

The founder of the English Defence League has lost an appeal against his conviction for leading a brawl involving 100 football fans.

Stephen Lennon, 28, led Luton Town supporters as they clashed with Newport County fans in Luton, the town’s crown court heard.

Lennon, from Luton, was convicted in July of using threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour in August 2010.

His claim that he was not in the group was dismissed by a High Court judge.

A confrontation began ahead of the evening game on 24 August when Newport supporters made a mass exodus from the Bedfordshire Yeoman pub just as 50 Luton fans approached.

The trouble involved chanting, missiles being thrown, assaults and damage to property, the court heard.

Lennon was at the front of the group, with others looking to him for leadership, and it is alleged he was chanting “E …E…EDL” the court was told.

‘Confusing scene’

Lennon told Mr Justice Saunders: “I was not with the group. There was a lot of shouting and screaming and some fighting but it looked more like ‘handbags’ to me.”

He claimed it had all been about England and Wales and that, while he may have made “sheep” insults, he had never mentioned EDL.

“It is ridiculous to suggest that, it is just not relevant.”

In dismissing the appeal Mr Justice Saunders said: “It must have been a very confusing scene and we are not making any detailed finding on exactly what happened and whether he was the leader of the group or not.

“We are not saying whether he was shouting about the EDL but on his own admission he was shouting something which was intended to be insulting to the Welsh and he was waving his arms about.

“It is impossible to accept any other intention than to provoke them into fighting.

“It must have been a frightening scene for anyone to observe.”

Luton magistrates had sentenced Lennon to a 12-month community rehabilitation order, a three-year ban from football and ordered him to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

Lennon is due to be sentenced in November for an assault on an EDL member at Blackburn, Lancashire, in April.

BBC News

Right-winger charged with assault at Muslim poppy-burning protest

By
July 23, 2013
affray, assault, Drugs, EDL, English Defence League

The leader of the extreme Right-wing English Defence League was charged today with assaulting a police officer after clashes with Islamic protesters.

Stephen Lennon, 27, of Luton, was arrested during a clash with members of Muslims Against Crusades who burned poppies during the two-minute silence in Kensington yesterday.

The father of two, also known as Yaxley-Lennon and Tommy Robinson, was one of six EDL members arrested. He will appear at West London magistrates’ court on November 22.

Four men, aged 41, 42, 19 and 18, were held for affray and another for possession of Class A drugs. Two Muslims, aged 30 and 25, were arrested for public order offences.

Members of Muslims Against Crusaders set fire to a large poppy as the clock struck 11am yesterday and chanted “British soldiers burn in hell” during their protest in Exhibition Road near the Royal Albert Hall.

A policeman was taken to hospital with a head injury as he tried to keep separate about 50 men linked to EDL and the Muslims.

Demonstrator Abu Rayah, from east London, said yesterday: “We’re here because people talk about all this patriotism but people in Afghanistan want Sharia and the soldiers keep dropping cluster bombs on our people and it’s like they just want us dead. We want British and American troops out of Afghanistan now.”

All those arrested were bailed pending further inquiries until a date in December.

London Evening Standard

EDL leader Stephen Lennon convicted of assault

By
July 23, 2013
assault, CRASBO, EDL, English Defence League

EDL founder Stephen Lennon

The leader of the English Defence League (EDL) has been convicted of assault after headbutting a member of his group during a rally in Blackburn.

Stephen Lennon, 28, goaded his followers during a rally attended by 2,000 EDL members in April, Preston Magistrates’ Court heard.

He verbally abused Alan McKee, 33, before attacking him.

Lennon who denied common assault, was found guilty of the charge. Sentencing was adjourned to 3 November.

The bench heard Mr Lennon launched a tirade against Mr McKee, calling him a “degenerate mug”, before trouble broke out.

Mr McKnee was pulled from the crowd for his safety. But he later confronted Mr Lennon about his speech, the court was told.

Lennon, who was surrounded by his own security guards and EDL stewards, then stepped forward and headbutted Mr McKee.

Probation report

The EDL leader, of Luton, denied assault and said he had not targeted Mr McKee during his speech.

Lennon said the man he targeted was another man who he said was part of an EDL splinter group, the North East Infidels, intent on causing trouble.

The court heard from two police officers who told the court they were on hand when the incident happened and they clearly saw Lennon headbutt Mr McKee.

After a day-long trial, District Judge Peter Ward said that he believed the police officers and convicted Lennon of common assault.

The judge said he wanted a probation report on Lennon before passing sentence.

He said: “I don’t think one can rule out a custodial sentence, but at the same time I’m keeping it open in light of the report and what is said to the court next time.”

Sentencing was adjourned until 3 November when police will apply for a criminal (anti-social behaviour order) to prevent Lennon attending EDL rallies.

BBC News