A judge told Shannon and Ben Gibson he highly doubted their explanation for why they travelled to Merseyside
A dad ranted to the police that “real criminals were being released from prison” after he drove with his son to engage in a full-blown riot.
Shannon Gibson, 58, and his son Ben, 32, claimed they drove from Wigan to Southport to lay flowers and pay their respects following the deaths of three young girls – Bebe King, Alice Da Silva Aguiar and Elsie Dot Stancombe – in a mass stabbing on July 29 this year.
However, Liverpool’s most senior judge told them he doubted their explanation of how they came to be on St Luke’s Road on July 30 and instead said they were “clearly racially or religiously motivated”. Louise McCloskey told Liverpool Crown Court this morning, Monday, October 14 that the dad and son were among a crowd of over 1,000 people who gathered at the junction of St Luke’s and Sussex Road.
She told the court: “That evening the community came together for a vigil that began at around 6pm. When parents were leaving with their kids at around 7pm, the defendants were engaging in behaviour in total odds.”
She told the court there was clear racial hostility as the mob gathered outside a mosque and chanted “Allah, Allah, who the f*** is Allah” and “this is our f***ing country.” The court heard that a cordon of officers sent to protect the mosque and disperse the crowd was attacked with bricks and other missiles.
Ms McCloskey said over 50 officers were injured and police vehicles were set on fire and ransacked. Ben Gibson, who had driven from Wigan to the north Sefton seaside town after he had finished work with his dad, was said to be “near the front of the crowd, jumping around and chanting ‘save our kids’ while attacking the people who are trying to do that job”.
The court heard the defendant, identified on footage wearing a purple Montirex top, “appeared crazed” as he was recorded throwing bricks at the line of police officers. Ms McCloskey said he threw approximately 16 bricks at the officers, hitting Merseyside Police Sergeant Yarwood at least once.
Although the prosecution could not confirm if the sergeant’s injuries could be specifically attributed to Ben Gibson’s actions, the court heard in the officer’s victim impact statement that he was hit in the ankle twice “causing a large amount of pain”.
The court heard his dad Shannon, who like his son was not wearing a face covering, was “in the thick of it”, with footage showing he was “watching on while his son threw missiles”. Ms McCloskey said after a period of time watching the action and smoking, the defendant was “no longer content by being a supporter” and threw a brick towards the window of a police carrier “as it was surrounded by thugs”.
The court heard he could be seen with his arms raised chanting “who the f*** is Allah” before he threw approximately six bricks. Ms McCloskey told the court that both of the men were arrested on September 15. When Ben Gibson was arrested he told officers “it’s happened now and I can’t change the past”.
He told police he had driven from Wigan with his dad “with the intention of laying flowers”. However, he added he was “angry at the country letting in immigrants”. Shannon Gibson told arresting officers “they are releasing the real criminals from prison and locking us up”. He then answered no comment during his interview.
The court heard Ben Gibson had no previous convictions while his dad had three convictions for five offences, including two counts of assaulting a police officer. Both men previously appeared at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court the day after their arrests where they each pleaded guilty to one count of violent disorder.
In mitigation, James Lefroy, appearing on behalf of both of the defendants, told the court the violent disorder was an “appalling incident” and he didn’t want to diminish the impact it had on the Southport community. Addressing the prosecution’s case that Ben Gibson had played a leading role in the disorder, Mr Lefroy told the court that he accepted his client played a “full role”, but he didn’t start the disorder nor was there a specific incident when he incited the actions of those around him.
Mr Lefroy said: “Ultimately the thrust of my submissions is to persuade the court they are ultimately good men, living their lives and for some reason they have been unable to tell me about why they have become involved.”
He added: “There are two types of people involved in the footage – those wearing masks and becoming overwhelmed by what is going on and people who the mind is drawn to why they are behaving in that way.”
Following this submission, The Honorary Recorder of Liverpool, Andrew Menary KC, presiding, said: “They are either complete idiots or have a desire to attack the mosque. Or both.” Mr Lefroy said: “My submission is that they are complete idiots.”
He told the court that both men were wearing shorts and t-shirts when they carried out the offence – adding “so there is some thought that they were not prepared to involve themselves, that is the only objective evidence I have”. Mr Lefroy said although they had travelled from outside the area, they were both in the north west, and although they were part of a mob targeting a mosque “do not consider themselves to be racist”.
The court heard that Ben Gibson is a trained bricklayer while his dad Shannon was his assistant. Ben Gibson was said to have a long-term partner and a nine-year-old daughter, while Shannon had three other children and nine grandchildren. Mr Lefroy said: “This was madness, they are idiots. This is not how they live their lives.”
Sentencing, Judge Menary told the pair: “There is an overwhelming obligation for the courts to do what they can for the protection of the public in their homes, in their businesses or on the streets. Those who engage in disorder must expect to receive severe sentences to punish and to deter. It is wholly unrealistic to observe someone’s actions without seeing it alongside the actions of others.”
He told Ben Gibson: “You have been seen in the footage from an early stage at the front of the mob involved in the most serious violence” and told his dad: “You were in the thick of it for much of the disorder…and you threw a brick quite deliberately at the police vehicle window.”
The judge, who said he was satisfied Ben Gibson played a leading role, sentenced the younger man to 32 months’ imprisonment. His dad Shannon was sentenced to 28 months’ imprisonment. The men, who were supported by a number of their family in court, did not react as they were led to the cells.
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