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EDL

Four deny charges after city’s English Defence League march

By
July 19, 2013
EDL, English Defence League, possessing an offensive weapon, Racial Conviction, racially aggravated abusive words

FOUR men arrested on suspicion of causing disorder on the day the English Defence League protested in Leicester have appeared in court.

Officers arrested 17 people after trouble broke out on October 9 when 1,000 EDL members staged a demonstration in the city centre.

Yesterday, at Leicester Magistrates’ Court, Mark Bircham (23), of Boulter Crescent, Wigston, denied using threatening, abusive or disorderly behaviour and assaulting a police officer. He will face trial before magistrates on January 11.

Scott Kervin (30), of Castle Place, Abergele, Wales, denied having an offensive weapon, a pair of gloves containing ball bearings. He also denied using threatening, abusive or disorderly behaviour and will face trial before the city’s magistrates on January 18

Mark Turnbull (38), of Rawling Road, Gateshead, denied using threatening, abusive or disorderly behaviour and resisting a police sergeant. His trial will take place before magistrates on January 18.

Lee Whitby (27), of Harley Place, Stoke-on-Trent, denied using racially aggravated abusive words and will stand trial on November 26.

All four were released on bail on the condition they do not attend any meetings of the English Defence League, The Scottish Defence League or the Welsh Defence League or attend any anti-Islamic meetings of more than three people.

After the hearings, a Leicestershire police spokesman said: “Investigations into other offences that took place that day are still ongoing as a team of officers look into crimes reported during and after the protests.

“Detectives are speaking to witnesses and examining CCTV evidence in a bid to identify more offenders.”

This is Leicester

Pair locked up over EDL demo near Eureka

By
July 19, 2013
ASBO, EDL, English Defence League, Jailed

A 21-year-old Rochdale man and a 16-year-old youth from Stockport have been locked up by a judge for their part in disturbances involving English Defence League supporters at the Eureka Museum in Halifax.

Michael Kelly, of Sykes Court, Rochdale, and the teenager, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, had travelled to West Yorkshire in July last year for an EDL demonstration in the car park of the popular family attraction.

Bradford Crown Court heard that although it was a Saturday the museum itself was closed to the public and only some staff were on duty that afternoon.

Prosecutor David McGonigal told the court how the Unite Against Facism group were due to hold a counter demonstration about a mile away, but police became concerned about possible clashes when about 50 EDL supporters headed towards the King Cross Road area.

A bus was provided to take the EDL followers to the Eureka car park and Mr McGonigal said it was at about 1.30pm when between 200 and 300 EDL demonstrators broke through the fence at the museum and confronted a small number of police officers.

Mr McGonigal said rocks and bottles were thrown towards officers who were in their normal uniforms and the crowd was shouting and gesticulating aggressively.

Staff inside the museum were frightened by the incident and some of the crowd made their way around to the side of the museum where industrial-size bins were overturned and damage caused to fencing.

Mr McGonigal said the demonstrators were eventually contained by officers in riot gear, police dogs and mounted police.

Kelly, who had earlier been filmed in Sowerby Bridge wearing a skull mask, was one of those who went through the broken fence into the museum grounds and Mr McGonigal alleged that at one stage he could be seen charging towards the police officers.

Kelly, who has a previous conviction for threatening behaviour at a football match, admitted violent disorder on the basis that he had no thrown anything at the police himself.

Kelly, who was arrested in December, said he was not a member of the EDL but had wanted to take part in a peaceful manner.

He said he was part of the crowd and blamed the police for “hemming” them in at the car park.

He said he wasn’t charging at the police, but simply trying to get out of the museum grounds.

Kelly was jailed for nine months by Judge Peter Benson who also imposed a two-year anti-social behaviour order on the defendant.

The 16-year-old, who also admitted violent disorder, was shown on CCTV footage kicking at the fence before it is broken down.

At the time the youngster was wearing a scarf over his face.

The teenager was sentenced to a six-month detention and training order and he was also made the subject of a two-year ASBO

Halifax Courier

Mansfield man gets eight weeks in jail for role in EDL protests.

By
July 19, 2013
criminal damage, EDL, English Defence League, Jailed

A MANSFIELD man has been jailed for eight weeks for causing criminal damage during English Defence League and Unite Against Fascism protests in the Leicester.

John Kavanagh, 22, of Fritchley Court, pleaded guilty at Leicester Magistrates’ Court to two charges of criminal damage.

The incidents happened on October 9 last year, when damage was caused to windows at Fabrika Bar at the Arts Centre in Humberstone Gate East.

Damage was also caused to police barriers placed on Humberstone Gate

This is Nottingham

Businessman filmed throwing missiles on EDL march

By
July 19, 2013
affray, EDL, English Defence League

A businessman who hurled missiles as he marched through Bristol with the English Defence League handed himself into the authorities when he realised he was a wanted man.

Barry Johnson was one of hundreds of marchers who took part in the high-profile demonstration through the city centre in July last year.

Bristol Crown Court heard how he was caught on film by a cameraman and images were later posted online by Avon and Somerset police in a bid to track him down.

When he saw the images Johnson travelled from his home in Peterborough to admit his involvement in the incident.

The 29-year-old from Poplar Avenue, Peterborough, pleaded guilty to affray when he appeared in court. Judge Martin Picton told him: “Throwing missiles is clearly dangerous. Someone could have been hurt.” The judge handed Johnson a three- month prison sentence which was suspended for a year. He also fined him £250 and ordered him to pay £85 towards court costs.

Richard Posner, prosecuting, said: “On July 14 in Bristol there was a demonstration and march by the English Defence League in the centre of Bristol.

“The group was formed in 2009 and it claims to oppose Islamic extremism. It chose to assemble in Bristol and march. That led to tension with United Against Fascism, and there was anticipated to be tension between the two groups.”

He added: “Police went to the city centre to quell disorder.”

Mr Posner told the court that police filmed Johnson in the thick of the crowd, throwing two missiles in the direction of the UAF supporters with no apparent provocation.

He said it was impossible to say if anyone was struck and there was no other violence taking place at the time of the incident. The judge was shown the police footage which captured the offence. Johnson was in the middle of a crowd of jostling and gesticulating EDL marchers.

Mr Posner said: “There was an intention to identify people and the defendant was identified in that way. “He handed himself in. He had seen himself on the Avon and Somerset police website, which asked Do you know who these people are?”

When Johnson handed himself in police interviewed him but he made no comment about the incident. His criminal record revealed he had previous convictions for football- related violent disorder.

Johnson represented himself in court but, other than handing the judge a letter, said nothing in his defence. The judge confirmed he had read a pre-sentence report from the probation service which revealed Johnson ran his own business with his brother.

South West Business

EDL supporters fined for on-train racist abuse

By
July 18, 2013
EDL, English Defence League, Fined, Racial Conviction, racially aggravated public order offence, Racist Abuse

Three English Defence League supporters have been ordered to pay more than £350 each after being found guilty of subjecting rail passengers to serious racist abuse.

Tracey Hurley (33), Stuart Parr (28) and a 17-year old youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at Wigan Magistrates’ Court on 20 January for trial.

The court heard that, on Friday 25 June last year, the trio had attended an EDL march in Bradford and had been on their way home when they travelled from Manchester Victoria to Wigan on a Northern Rail service. During the journey they became abusive and intimidating, subjecting several passengers to a torrent of racist abuse.

The abuse began when the three sang songs relating to the EDL and Taliban. At Salford Crescent an Asian man boarded the train and was immediately targeted by the group who shouted derogatory remarks about Allah to the man.

PC Tony McGibbon, of British Transport Police, said: “The abuse continued for some time and was directed at anyone on board the train who the three perceived to be anything other than white British. The behaviour of the three was offensive in the extreme, completely unacceptable and made everyone on the train feel incredibly uncomfortable.”

A passenger advised a member of rail staff who reported the behaviour of the three to BTP officers. After witnesses were spoken to the three where arrested and interviewed. During interviews they admitted having been at the EDL march and drinking heavily, but denied making any racist remarks or behaving in a racist manner.

PC McGibbon added: “Despite their initial denials, there is no doubt that these three behaved in a deeply offensive manner and subjected rail passengers to unacceptable and unwarranted abuse. BTP, the rail industry, and the wider criminal justice system, takes a dim view of anyone who behaves in such a way and the sentence handed out should serve as an example and warning to others.”

Hurley, of Kingsley Avenue, Goose Green, was fined £150, ordered to pay £200 costs and a £15 victim surcharge after being found guilty of a racially aggravated public order offence. Parr, of Golborne Place, Scholes, was fined £150, ordered to pay £200 costs and a £15 victim surcharge after being found guilty of a racially aggravated public order offence.

The youth, from Ashton-in-Makerfield, was fined £150, ordered to pay £200 costs and a £15 victim surcharge after being found guilty of a racially aggravated public order offence.

Lancaster Unity

EDL yob fined for swearing at policeman

By
July 18, 2013
EDL, English Defence League, Fined, Public order offence
English Defence League clash with anti-fascist groups in Manchester.
English Defence League clash with anti-fascist groups in Manchester.

AN English Defence League supporter has been fined for his role in the organisation’s October protest in Manchester city centre.

Lee Howarth, 24, from Milnrow in Rochdale, was arrested at Piccadilly Station on October 10, after shouting abuse and swearing at police officers. Hundreds of EDL supporters gathered on the day to demonstrate.

Manchester magistrates’ court heard yesterday how Howarth, who is unemployed, persisted in swearing at police despite repeatedly being told to ‘calm down’.

With his fists raised, Howarth responded: ‘Think you’re a big man? Make me.’

Howarth was drunk at the time.

Philip Lythgoe, defending, said Howarth accepts he swore but that it was in response to being ‘pushed around by police’.

Chairman of the bench, Iain Simms, said: ‘Police are there to do a job and you don’t expect them to be shouted and sworn at.’

Howarth pleaded guilty to a public order offence of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour and was fined a total of £100.

The EDL claims only to oppose radical Islam but supporters were seen at the October demonstrations making Nazi salutes.

Around 1,500 people joined a counter protest by Unite Against Fascism and the two sides faced-off for five hours, separated by police in riot gear and on horseback.

A total of 48 people were arrested during the day and the demonstration left the city with an £800,000 bill.

Manchester Evening News

Blackburn family hits out at ‘atrocious’ sentence given to attacker

By
July 18, 2013
actual bodily harm, EDL, English Defence League, Jailed
Bernard Holmes, EDL thug with multiple convictions for violence.

Bernard Holmes, EDL thug with multiple convictions for violence.

A FAMILY has hit out at the sentence given to a man who caused ‘catastrophic’ injuries when he threw two punches outside a Blackburn nightspot.

Bernard Holmes, 24, of Coleridge Street, Blackburn, is starting a two-year, four month sentence after admitting grievous bodily harm (GBH) on Sean Baxendale.

But after the case Mr Baxendale’s sister slammed the sentence, saying Holmes, who had previous convictions for common assault and actual bodily, harm, was a ‘dangerous man’ who should have got life.

Holmes threw two punches at Mr Baxendale, 44, outside Bar Ibiza, Mincing Lane, in what the court heard was an unprovoked attack on May 17.

The second strike connected and knocked him out.

Mr Baxendale suffered an extensive skull fracture and had to have bones removed in order to relieve pressure on his brain.

After months in hospital, he was left with a continuing brain injury, often getting confused over simple things.

Once a fit and active man, he had undergone a personality change following the attack, Preston Crown Court was told.

Mr Baxendale’s sister Maggie Garth said the whole family was devastated by the attack.

She said: “His personality has changed. Sean was lively and outgoing. Now he has not got the same patience. He had to learn and talk again.

“He will be living with it for the rest of his life.”

The attack on Mr Baxendale, and the killings of Adam Rogers and Christopher Folkes in Blackburn, prompted his nephew Kirk Bullen to launch the Make Lancashire Safer Campaign.

Maggie said the judge had undermined this battle: “I think the sentence handed out is atrocious and the courts have let us down.

“There are campaigns against violence. How can you can make a town safer if the courts aren’t helping us?

“The sentence has just knocked us all for six. To me, with his previous convictions, you should get life.”

After the case, Detective Constable Mark Cruise said: “This type of incident shows that even one punch can have horrific consequences.”

Holmes had stood trial on a more serious charge of GBH with intent, but a jury had found him not guilty .

The court was told that initially, another man (not the defendant) was seen arguing with Mr Baxendale outside the premises.

Stephen McNally, prosecuting, said that male punched Mr Baxendale to the face.

Holmes then crossed the road and struck out at Mr Baxendale.

A second blow knocked him to the ground, where he lay unconscious, having struck his head with some force as he fell.

Holmes had previous convictions including five acts of common assault and one of actual bodily harm.

Daniel King, defending, said: “The defendant says the extent of Mr Baxendale’s injuries have shocked him, in fact, appalled him.

“He had no intention to cause any serious injury.”

Lancashire Telegraph

Ex-soldier’s anti-Muslim rants on Facebook

By
July 18, 2013
criminal damage, EDL, English Defence League, Racial Conviction

EDL supporter Kenneth Holden posted anti-Muslim messages on Facebook.

EDL supporter Kenneth Holden posted anti-Muslim messages on Facebook.


A SOUTH Tyneside ex-soldier used his Facebook page to make racist comments about Muslims.

Kenneth Holden wrote the anti-Islamic messages after he started supporting the far-right English Defence League (EDL).

The 30-year-old was arrested after police were alerted to the abusive comments that were written on his personal page.

Holden, of Winskell Road, South Shields, pleaded guilty to two counts of sending an offensive message by a public communication network at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court last week.

Magistrates adjourned the case until yesterday for the probation service to write a report about him.

The report recommended that Holden be placed under the supervision of probation so his attitudes towards Muslims could be looked at.

Kevin Smallcombe, defending, asked the magistrates to go along with the report’s recommendation.

Holden was given a 12-month community order with supervision.

Jeanette Smith, prosecuting, told the court that the messages were brought to the police’s attention on April 21.

She said: “After receiving the report, officers searched Facebook, found the defendant’s page and saw the religiously abusive comments.

“He was arrested, and asked the police if it was because he didn’t like Muslims.

“In a second police interview, he posted the comments on his page and accepted that they could be seen as offensive to Muslims.”

At the first hearing, Mr Smallcombe said: “He was in the Army, and has some fairly strong views about Muslims.

“He supports some of the beliefs of the English Defence League and believes that the group was started after some Muslims spat on soldiers who were returning from Afghanistan.

“The comments on Facebook were of a religious nature.

“Some people say it is part of free speech, but by his guilty plea Mr Holden accepts he crossed the line.

“Most of our country has fair and tolerant views but some are extremists, on both sides of this argument.”

Holden was also sentenced for a separate criminal damage charge relating to his grandfather’s home.

The case goes back to June 28 when police found him in the house while his grandfather was in hospital.

He had broken into the home through the back door.

Holden was ordered to pay £60 compensation to his grandfather and £160 court costs for both cases.


Jarrow and Hebburn Gazette

Aylesbury judge rejects appeal by EDL yob

By
July 18, 2013
EDL, English Defence League, Fined

A RIGHT-wing extremist who was arrested on his way to the EDL march in Aylesbury last year for abusing police officers has had his appeal turned down.

Daryl Hobson appeared at Aylesbury Crown Court on Friday in a bid to get his sentence overturned.

Hobson, 44, was stopped by police last year on May 1, as he was holding a large union flag out the car window.

When stopped, Hobson insulted police officers, calling them ‘f***ing jobsworths’ and labelled one of them ‘Robocop’ and ‘a clown’.

Officers eventually lost their patience when he began chanting support for a man who killed three police officers.

When describing the incident, PC Ahmed Chaudry said: “The gentleman got out of the car and came up to me and said: ‘What do you want?’ in an aggressive manner.”

He said coachloads of EDL supporters began driving past, prompting Hobson to put his arms in the air and shout EDL slogans.

Police sergeants Luke Pillinger and Spencer Kervin were passing when they saw what was happening and stopped to help.

Sgt Kervin said: “He got within arm’s length and shouted behind me: ‘Harry Roberts is my friend. He kills coppers’, very loud.”

Roberts was a career criminal planning an armed robbery when his gang was approached by plain-clothes police officers in London, in 1966. Roberts shot dead two officers and an accomplice killed a third. Paul Fox, whose father Geoffrey was one of the three murdered police officers, lives in Aylesbury.

The officers arrested Hobson and he was tried and convicted. He was fined £100 and ordered to pay £400 in court costs.

At the hearing Hobson admitted using the chant about the policemen but said he was doing it towards his friends, not the police.

“It’s a song sung in football grounds up and down the country. Everybody has a good laugh at it. We started singing it on the way up (to Aylesbury) in the car. I wasn’t threatening at all.

“Pillinger was standing in front of me in an intimidating way like he was some kind of Robocop,” he said.

“I called him a Nazi. I called him a f***ing jobsworth and a clown. I said: ‘The only thing missing on you, chap, is a bright red nose and shoes’.”

Recorder Johannah Cutts QC said: “We are of the view that he did, indeed, use words and behaviour in such a way to cause alarm and harassment, if not distress, and for that reason we dismiss this appeal.”

She ordered Hobson to pay prosecution costs of £415.

The Bucks Herald

Man sentenced to 12 weeks imprisonment for his part in disturbance during EDL/UAF protests

By
July 18, 2013
criminal damage, EDL, English Defence League, Jailed, Public order offence

A man has been sentenced to 12 weeks imprisonment for his part in the disturbance which occurred during the English Defence League and Unite Against Fascism protests in the city centre.

Ryan Herbert (06/04/87) of Bland Road, New Parks, pleaded guilty at Leicester Magistrates Court last month to criminal damage to property and to a Section 4 public order offence. He was sentenced last week.

The incident happened on October 9, 2010, in Humberstone Gate East when damage was caused to windows at Fabrika Bar at the Arts Centre.

In Leicester