A man who stormed a hotel used to house asylum seekers and was part of a crowd chanting “burn it down” has been jailed for three years.

Craden McKenzie was one of about 400 people who gathered outside the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers, Rotherham, on 4 August.

Sheffield Crown Court heard the 26-year-old unemployed labourer, who admitted violent disorder at a previous hearing, was a “central participant in the most serious aspects” of the rioting.

At his sentencing hearing, McKenzie, of Doncaster Road, Darfield, was told he “richly deserved” the punishment imposed.

South Yorkshire Police said 64 officers, three police horses and a police dog were injured during the rioting.

Footage played in court showed missiles being thrown at police officers and at the building, with a group of men including McKenzie seen breaking into a side exit.

McKenzie walked around the hotel lobby “almost as if [he] owned the place” while staff were in hiding, the court heard.

He was also pictured in a crowd which attacked riot police with fire extinguishers and other items outside, with the group heard chanting “burn it down”.

Stephanie Hollis, prosecuting, said McKenzie told officers he went to the hotel to “peacefully protest” and blamed the disorder on a “miscommunication between protesters and police”.

The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, rejected McKenzie’s explanation as “arrant nonsense”, adding: “It is clear the group of which you were a part of was desirous of provoking police officers, damaging the hotel and seeking out the occupants of hotel.

“Thereby you were spreading hate.”

Judge Richardson accepted McKenzie was not filmed throwing missiles, but said being at the front and actively encouraging others placed him in “the same league”.

He told the defendant: “You were involved as a central participant in the most serious aspects of the violent disorder which occurred on that day.”

McKenzie was also made the subject of a criminal behaviour order for 10 years.

Passing sentence, Judge Richardson said: “For a man with no previous convictions, going to prison for three years is a very serious matter.

“I’m afraid you richly deserve it.”

He continued: “Anyone who involves themselves in this form of public disorder must be punished, and punished severely.”

BBC News

A judge said Craden McKenzie, 26, was a ‘central participant’ in the disorder outside the Holiday Inn Express which left 64 police officers injured.

An unemployed labourer who was one of the first to enter a hotel housing more than 200 asylum seekers during rioting in Rotherham has been jailed for three years.

Video was shown at Sheffield Crown Court on Tuesday of Craden McKenzie, 26, climbing into the Holiday Inn Express, in Manvers, on August 4, and walking around the deserted lobby area, as staff took refuge in the kitchen.

The court heard this was after a mob had smashed in windows and a fire door but before attempts were made to set fire to the building with a burning bin.

Footage was also shown of McKenzie in a crowd which was attacking a group of outnumbered riot police with fire extinguishers and other weapons outside the building amid shouts of “burn it down”.

The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, was also shown body-worn camera footage from officers trying to push back the rioters with McKenzie at the front, hitting their shields.

Judge Richardson said unemployed labourer McKenzie was a “central participant in the most serious aspects” of the disorder, which left 64 police officers, three police horses and a police dog injured.

The judge heard how, after handing himself in, McKenzie told police he went into the hotel to see for himself the conditions in which the residents were living.

Stephanie Hollis, prosecuting, said McKenzie told the officers he went to the hotel to protest peacefully and the disorder broke out due to “miscommunication between police and the protesters”.

Although CCTV footage showed the defendant walking around an empty lobby, the judge heard how 22 staff members had taken refuge in the kitchen, terrified that, if they left, they would be attacked and, if they stayed, the hotel could be set on fire.

Judge Richardson said that for these staff and the 200 plus residents on the upper floors: “This was a truly terrifying episode”.

He said: “They had no idea how things would eventuate”.

Richard Adams, defending, said his client has no previous convictions and had effectively got involved due to peer pressure.

McKenzie, of Doncaster Road, Darfield, Barnsley, appeared by videolink from prison.

He admitted violent disorder at a previous hearing.
Evening Standard