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EDL

Men fined for EDL demo abuse

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

THREE men have been fined after a protest by the English Defence League in Manchester city centre.

William Crangle, Kevin Greaves and David Monks were all arrested on Saturday as hundreds of EDL members came to the city to demonstrate.

The organisation claims to oppose only radical Islam but supporters were seen making Nazi salutes and singing patriotic songs during the demonstration in Piccadilly.

Around 1,500 people joined a counter protest by Unite Against Fascism.

The two sides were in a face-off for five hours, separated by a police line including officers in riot gear and on horseback and 48 people were arrested during the day.

The demonstration left the city with an £800,000 bill.

Abusive

EDL supporters Crangle, 30, of North Croft, Oldham, Greaves, 30, of Springwood Hall Road, Oldham, and Monks, 33, of Manchester Road, Bolton, all admitted public order offences of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour when they appeared at Manchester magistrates’ court yesterday.

Crangle and Greaves, who appeared in the dock together, were arrested at 11.45am, as they walked along London Road, near Piccadilly station.

Police asked Crangle to remove a bandana that was covering his face, suspecting he might be trying to conceal his identity, the court heard. He swore at the officers and was arrested. Mr Greaves was also arrested after repeatedly swearing as officers tried to search him.

Crangle was fined £160 and Greaves, who is on benefits, £80, and both were ordered to pay another £100 in costs and victim surcharge.

Both men apologised for wasting court time.

Monks was fined £80 plus £95 in costs and a victim surcharge after the court heard how he was arrested as EDL protesters were escorted away from Piccadilly Gardens and towards Victoria station by police at 4.30pm.

Police were detaining another man when Monks grabbed him and tried to pull him from their grasp.

He swore at officers before being arrested, magistrates heard.

Manchester Evening News

Racist is jailed

By
July 18, 2013
Drugs, EDL, English Defence League, Jailed, Racial Conviction, religiously aggravated harassment
Darren Conway.

Darren Conway.

THE OFFENSIVE actions of a Gainsborough man were blasted by a judge as he was jailed for displaying inflammatory racist posters in the front window of his flat.

Darren J Conway covered the window of his Heaton Street flat with posters, literature and photographs which attacked the Prophet Mohammed and the Muslim religion.

When police searched the 44-year-old’s flat, they also found 16 cannabis plants growing under a heated lens in his bathroom.

He had previously been found guilty of the charges at Magistrates Court, and appeared at Lincoln Crown Court on Tuesday 6th March for sentencing.

Conway, a former BNP member and supporter of the English Defence League, attracted comments from passers-by and workers at nearby businesses with his offensive display.

Mr Lowe, prosecuting, described a number of the 17 posters and other such material displayed that were ‘undoubtedly offensive to members of the Muslim and Islamic faith’.

Among the slogans on show from his ground-floor window were ‘Jihad works both ways’, ‘no surrender’, ‘Muslims are the most hateful of them all’ and a letter confirming that he was a member of the BNP.

A passer-by reported Conway after being disturbed by the pictures of mutilated Muslims with graphic and obscene messages and imagery.

In Conway’s defence, the court heard how he had no history of racism and he was a carer for his ailing, elderly father who had suffered from multiple strokes.

Conway claimed that he put the posters and other literature in his window simply to attract the attention of the letting agent for his flat with whom he was in dispute, claiming that he had been left for months without electricity in three rooms and described the flat as uninhabitable with mould on the walls.

When sentencing Conway, Hon Judge Heath slammed his offensive behaviour.

“You put 17 offensive pieces and posters in the window of your ground-floor flat where they were there for all to see,” he said.

“To describe the material that you put in your window as grossly offensive would be an understatement, to Muslims and right-thinking members of the public.”

Judge Heath continued: “There is no place in a civilised society for conduct of that sort and the only sentence is an immediate custodial one.”

Conway was sentenced to three months for the production of cannabis and 12 month religiously aggravated harassment.

Dinnington Today

Child molester jailed after girl relives horror

By
July 18, 2013
EDL, English Defence League, paedophile, sex abuse

A teenage sex-abuse victim endured years of “inner torture” after she was persuaded to drop her allegations against her attacker, a Court heard.

Self-confessed child molester Michael Coates got sympathy for himself by falsely claiming that he too had been a victim of sexual abuse and the girl was pressured into not proceeding with her allegations against him.

It was only three years later when Coates was finally charged with a series of sex offences, including two attempted rapes, that he admitted his own sex-abuse story was a pack of lies.

Today the 23-year-old Bradford man was beginning a six-year jail sentence for the repeated abuse which he accepted had developed from “experimenting” as a ten-year-old boy into a habit.

Coates, now of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to a total of eight charges of indecent assault and two of attempted rape in relation to the first girl and a further four offences of indecent assault in relation to a second.

During yesterday’s hearing at Bradford Crown Court Coates’ barrister Jonathan Rose handed Judge Roger Scott a copy of a suicide note his client had written.

In it he described himself as a child molester and offered his apologies to the two girls for what he had done.

Jailing Coates, Judge Scott told him that he regarded him as a danger to children and highlighted the fact he had told a series of dramatic lies for his own purposes.

“That poor girl must have had a very, very long period of inner torture…she attempted to kill herself as I understand it,” he said.

He said it was a further aggravating feature of the case that Coates had used bribery through sweets, money and cigarettes in exchange for sexual favours.

In addition to the jail sentence, Coates will also have to register with the police as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Prosecutor John Hitchen told the court that the first girl had suffered flashbacks and nightmares after deciding to drop the proceedings in 1998, but she eventually challenged Coates about what he had done in the autumn of last year.

Coates was arrested in October and made admissions in relation to the allegations made by the two girls.

Mr Rose conceded that Coates’ offending had turned into a habit and he was unable to stop himself until he reached the age of 19 in 1997.

He pointed out that since then Coates had not committed any further offences of a sexual nature.

“This is a very young man about to start a sentence for offences against children and through the duration of that sentence he will have no one….it’s going to be a very lonely and a very difficult time,” said Mr Rose.

Telegraph & Argus

EDL leaders fined over rooftop protest

By
July 18, 2013
EDL, English Defence League, Fined
Kevin Carroll holds a banner on top of FIFA HQ in Zurich

Kevin Carroll holds a banner on top of FIFA HQ in Zurich

A ROOFTOP protest over the ban on the England football team having embroidered poppies on their shirts has cost two English Defence League members £3,000.

EDL leader Stephen Lennon and member Kevin Carroll flew to Switzerland last Tuesday and 24 hours later managed to get on to the roof of the FIFA headquarters in Zurich.

They were demanding England players be allowed to wear poppies on their shirts for their friendly against Spain after the governing body ruled emblems were not allowed because the poppy was seen as a political emblem.

The compromise of allowing the teams to wear black armbands with poppies on was reached after interventions from Prince William and David Cameron.

But Mr Lennon claims his protest was the tipping point.

“FIFA changed their mind after two hours of us being up on that roof,” he said. “Everyone’s saying it was David Cameron but it was us.”

The pair were arrested when they came down from the roof after four hours, and were fined £2,300 and had to pay £700 court costs.

“They said our reasons were just but obviously it was against the law,” said Mr Lennon. “They put us in a grimy prison for three days.”

Their spell behind bars meant the pair were not in London on Friday when 170 English Defence Members were arrested at a pub near the Cenotaph because police believed they were headed for the protest camp at St Paul’s Cathedral.

Mr Lennon said: “They dragged everyone out of the pub and held them for four hours. There was no trouble.

“The police said they were preventing a breach of the peace so they arrested everyone, men and women. But no-one was charged with anything, they were all just released after four hours.”

Luton Today

The Guardian

Man loses appeal over Luton parade

By
July 18, 2013
conditional discharge, EDL, English Defence League, Public order offence

kevin-carroll-court-case-11-1279816669-article-0

A judge and two magistrates decided Kevin Carroll’s behaviour had been likely that day to cause alarm and distress in Luton Town Centre.

But minutes after losing his appeal Mr Carroll a 41 year old carpenter emerged from Luton crown court where his case had been heard to a hero’s welcome.

Scores of young men chanted “EDL, EDL” a reference to the right wing group, The English Defence League.

Mr Carroll addressed the crowd saying “Thank you patriots and people of our great democracy for supporting me.”

He said the country was “falling” more and more under the influence of Sharia law and he and people like him were being “treated like enemies of the state.”

To rousing applause he ended by “God Bless our Troops, God save the Queen.”

Later he said “I am disappointed by the court’s decision but I will accept it on the chin and move on”

He said on the day of the protest by Muslim extremists which had led to his arrest he had been intent on protecting a group of veterans and old soldiers.

He added what upset him most that day was that the extremists had been allowed to protest in front of the soldiers and next to their families who had attended the parade

Caroll, a married man had gone to court earlier in the day to appeal against his conviction earlier this year when he was found guilty of using threatening words and behaviour likely to to cause fear harassment and alarm.

In court Judge Christopher Compston hearing the case was told how on March 10 last year there was a home coming parade by the 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment through Luton Town Centre.

But within minutes of the march getting underway a group of Islamic extremists staged an anti war protest

They had placards and shouted at the troops “Butchers of Basra” and “British soldiers go to hell.

The group were standing near the town hall and an angry crowd, incensed that the soldiers were being subjected to the protest, began a counter demonstration.

They had to be separated from the young Muslims by a cordon of police officers.

In a stand off the crowd were heard to shout “No surrender to the Talban,” “England, England” and “Scum, Scum Scum.

Carroll of Bolingbroke Road, Luton was captured on town centre CCTV as being part of the crowd angry at the Muslim protest.

He was arrested later by police officers and earlier this year found guilty of the public order offence and given a nine month conditional discharge and told he must pay costs of £175.

In court Mr Carroll said he had been “extremely angry and upset” when he saw the extremists protesting against the soldiers”

He said there was an “instantaneous upset” among many people who had gone to the parade and he had ended as part of a crowd that had vented their anger towards the protesters.

“I just couldn’t believe they had been allowed to do that.

He said at one point he ran towards a group of veterans because he thought the Muslim protester was heading in their protection and he wanted to protect the old soldiers.

“I swore at the extremists, I don’t deny that, but it was a crazy situation. It was not something I condone but there was so much anger and emotion from everyone.”

He added “Everyone was doing the same thing. People were so upset by what these people had done and wanted to give them a piece of their mind”

He added “Everyone in the vicinity was swearing and shouting and roaring”

Mr Carroll denied that he’d been a ring leader that day

Dismissing the appeal Judge Christopher Compston told Carroll “We have no doubt at all that you did use threatening, abusive and insulting words and behaviour which was likely to cause harassment, alarm and distress.”

The judge said the CCTV evidence had been overwhelming and he went on “We dismiss your appeal.

He ordered that Carroll pay further costs of £330.

Heart

Middlesbrough railway station race abuse group to pay £6k

By
July 18, 2013
EDL, English Defence League, Fined, Racial Conviction, religiously aggravated harassment, religiously aggravated intentional harassment

SIX men with links to a controversial right-wing pressure group have been ordered to pay almost £6,000 for chanting a sickening torrent of religious abuse

EDL members outside Teesside Magistrates Court

EDL members outside Teesside Magistrates Court

The men, who are associated with the English Defence League (EDL), were sentenced at Teesside Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

They were found guilty in August of shouting a highly inflammatory religious chant at Middlesbrough railway station.

Supporters of the men, some wearing EDL sweatshirts and carrying flags, gathered outside the court building yesterday as magistrates only allowed five people in the public gallery.

There was also a strong police presence both in and outside the court, along with mounted officers in Centre Square.

As reported, the group members – who all said they were associated to the EDL in some way – were convicted of religiously aggravated harassment and using threatening words or behaviour to cause harassment alarm or distress, after a two-day trial.

The incident happened at about 7.30pm on Saturday, December 10, after the group came to Middlesbrough to watch Boro play Brighton. But when they decided it was too cold, they visited several pubs in the town instead.

Trouble arose when the group arrived at the station and were heard by PC Andrew Ward, of British Transport Police, chanting EDL chants – as well as the highly inflammatory chant in question.

Addressing the defendants, Elizabeth Hutchinson, chairman of the bench, said: “It’s the court’s belief that you knew exactly what you were doing, that you deliberately set out to use racially abusive language and to intimidate members of the public.”

She added that the incident was aggravated by the fact that it was a group action which took place over a “length of time” where members of the public were present.

Between them, the defendants were fined £2,730 and ordered to pay £3,090 costs – adding up to £5,820. One person from the public gallery had to be escorted out by police after the sentencing.

Jak Beasley, 23, of Cedar Road, Bishop Auckland was fined £455 and ordered to pay £515 costs.

Ross Williams, 23, of Ebberston Court, Spennymoor, was fined £420 and ordered to pay £515 costs.

Christopher Caswell, 32, of West Auckland Road, Darlington, was fined £455 and ordered to pay £515 costs.

Paul Ross, 48, of Auckland Wind, Shildon, was fined £525 and ordered to pay £515 costs.

Dean Spence, 23, of Yew Close, Spennymoor, fined £455 and ordered to pay £515 costs.

Shaun Bunting, 33, of Fenhall Green, Newton Aycliffe, was fined £420 and ordered to pay £515 costs.

The EDL was formed in response to a protest in March 2009 organised by an Islamic group against troops returning from the war in Afghanistan.

The group states its aim is to demonstrate peacefully but conflicts with Unite Against Fascism and other opponents have led to street violence, anti-social behaviour and arrests.

In July last year, about 500 EDL supporters marched through Middlesbrough. The event, which was marked by a large police presence, passed off peacefully

Gazette Live

Suspended term for EDL protester

By
July 18, 2013
EDL, English Defence League, Racial Conviction, racially aggravated harassment, Suspended sentence

A man travelled to an English Defence League march in Leicester because he knew there might be trouble and he could shout and scream at Asian people, a court heard yesterday.

Prosecutor Elizabeth Dodds told Leicester Magistrates Court that Daniel John Buckley told police that was why he had made the journey.

Buckley, 27, of Oakley Road, Long Eaton, Nottingham, admitted racially aggravated harassment and obstructing a police officer.

Eve Patterson, in mitigation, said Buckley had an alcohol problem

He was given an eight-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months and ordered to attend a course to address his alcohol problem.

Leicester Mercury

EDL thug abused old men

By
July 18, 2013
EDL, English Defence League, Suspended sentence

An ENGLISH Defence League member who threatened two elderly asian men has been handed a suspended prison sentence.

Darren Buck, 50, was involved in the demonstration with the far-right group in Halifax town centre on April 16.

Calderdale Magistrates Court heard how around 200 EDL members turned out for the demonstration which they claimed was in protest at two of their number being attacked the week before.

At around 2.30pm police reported that a large gathering of protesters were congregating outside The Plummet Line pub, Bull Close Lane, Halifax, and were trying to break through the police line.

It was at this time that officers saw Buck, a former sheet metal worker, acting aggressively towards the two elderly asian men.

Officers said he was seen trying to punch the two men but he missed and was consequently arrested.

Buck was interviewed by police and admitted the offence saying he was demonstrating to show solidarity with his fellow members.

He also told them he had been an EDL member for about a year but didn’t have any racist beliefs.

Buck pleaded guilty to a charge of using insulting or abusive language with the threat of violence.

Judith Poole, chair of the magistrates, said: “We feel this offence is so serious that only custody is appropriate.

“You were part of a group of 200 people, over 200 police officers had to be in attendance and it was a Saturday afternoon with a lot of people around who must have been really frightened.”

Buck, from Wombwell, Barnsley, was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison which was suspended for 12 months.

He will be subject to a curfew on Saturdays and Sundays from 9am to 9pm for 20 weeks and must pay costs of £85.

Halifax Courier

Four jailed over town EDL clash

By
July 18, 2013
affray, EDL, English Defence League, Jailed

FOUR men have been jailed for their part in violent scenes at an English Defence League protest in Dudley town centre.

The protest on July 17 turned ugly when objects including crowd control barriers were thrown at police officers who were being abused and spat on.

Admitting affray at Wolverhampton Crown Court, Adrian Britton, aged 39, of High View Street, Dudley collapsed in the dock when he was jailed for 15 months, while 27-year old Daniel Holmes of St Matthews Close, Walsall was put behind bars for a year.

Meanwhile teenagers Jake Hill of Alexander Hill, Brierley Hill, aged 18 and 19 year-old James Everard, of Armstrong Close, Amblecote, were both sent to a young offenders institution – Everard for nine months and Hill for six months.

Sentencing the four men, Judge Patrick Thomas QC, said: “This was not an afternoon’s fun.

“It was a dangerous and unpleasant incident involving a mob attack on police officers doing their duty.”

He said it was clear their offending was not linked to the march but towards the officers who were present to protect their fellow citizens from threats and violence.

“I do not think you were particularly concerned with the EDL,” said the judge. “You took it upon yourselves to attack the police in a number of ways.

“You were involved in a significant and highly unpleasant and unnecessary public disorder and you tested the patience, self control and discipline of police officers under a hail of abuse and threats of violence.”

Hugh O’Brien prosecuting said Everard had been aggressive, swearing at police and stamping on metal barriers used to contain the protestors, while Hill, who was carrying a St George’s flag spat at police.

Meanwhile Holmes, was seen throwing missiles at police before doing a chicken dance at officers and Britton was seen to throw a piece of metal fencing.

The judge told the men: “Most of you claim not to have any involvement in the activities of the EDL.

Most of you claim you were part of this gathering simply by chance or by curiosity.”

But it was clear, he stressed, the affray was directed solely towards police officers who were on duty as he concluded: “A drink-fuelled mob is more dangerous than a sober one.”

Dudley News

EDL protester carrying drugs

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

A man arrested at Saturday’s English Defence League protest has pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis.

Brian Bristow (37) admitted the offence at Leicester Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

Prosecutor Mark Williams said Bristow, of no fixed abode but formerly of Doncaster, was stopped at noon on Saturday.

Bristow, who appeared in court wearing a shirt bearing the logo “English Defence League. Doncaster Division”, had a rolled “spliff” on him and cannabis for another one.

Bristow was fined £100 – though his time in custody was accepted in lieu of payment – and ordered to pay £85 court costs

This is Leicester