Latest sentencing results, charges and arrests following disorder in Merseyside last summer

By
April 15, 2025
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In the past week, two men have been jailed for a combined six years, two other men charged and a further three arrests made in relation to violent disorder in Merseyside last summer.

Matthew Carrigan, 33, of Tarvin Road, in Chester, was sentenced on Wednesday 9 April to three years in prison for playing a leading role in the violence in Liverpool city centre on Saturday 3 August 2024.

Officers were able to identify Carrigan on CCTV taking part in the disorder and also encouraging others to do so, including when he urged a group of other men to set fire to a police carrier. Enquiries also found several videos taken by Carrigan on his mobile phone, which showed him walking through the city centre with the violent mob and shouting racist abuse.

Bradley Jones, 33, of no fixed abode but originally from Wigan, was also jailed for three years on Friday 11 April for taking part in disorder in Southport.

Jones was captured on CCTV throwing missiles at officers and their vehicles. At one point, he starts taking items out of a wheelie bin and throws them at a police carrier.

There have also been two more men charged:

– Gareth Bond, 45, of Rawlinson Grove, in Southport, was charged with violent disorder on Friday 4 April and bailed to next appear at Liverpool Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday 23 April.

– Michael Hughes, 40, of Anfield Road, was charged with violent disorder in relation to the incident on County Road on Saturday 3 August and also possession of a controlled Class B drug (cannabis). He was bailed to next appear at Liverpool Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday 22 April.

Inquiries into the violent disorder are ongoing and three more people have also been arrested:

– A 44-year-old man from Prescot was arrested on Saturday 5 April on suspicion of violent disorder in Southport. He was detained at Manchester airport after arriving back in the country from holiday. It follows CCTV inquiries into the actions of a male during the disorder who tried to punch and kick officers. He has been bailed pending further enquiries.

– A 32-year-old woman from Bootle was arrested on Thursday 10 April on suspicion of violent disorder and burglary in Southport. She has been bailed pending further enquiries. It follows inquiries into a female who threw missiles at officers and then broke into a nearby shop and stole alcohol.

– A 16-year-old boy from Runcorn has been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder in relation to County Road. CCTV shows a male throwing several missiles at officers during the shocking scenes of that evening. He has been bailed pending further enquiries.

We have now arrested 194 people, with 151 charged and 134 sentenced to a combined 247 years and six months in prison.

Detective Inspector Paula Jones said: “Every week we are making more arrests and this work is ongoing as we continue to identify people who took part in the despicable scenes in Southport and Liverpool last summer.

“We make no apologies for our relentless pursuit of those involved and we are determined to find as many people as possible, even if they live outside of Merseyside.

“Images and footage are still being worked through, so we strongly advise anyone else who took part in the disorder to do the right thing and hand themselves in before we arrest you.”

We currently have a CCTV appeal containing many people who we still need to speak with because we believe they could have information about the disorder.

The latest gallery of images can be viewed here: Latest CCTV appeal following violent disorder last summer | Merseyside Police

Many of these people could be from outside of Merseyside, specifically Blackburn, Bradford, Chester, Manchester, Ormskirk, Preston, Runcorn, Telford, Wigan and surrounding areas.

If you have any information, you can call 101 or DM @MerPolCC, quoting reference number 24000663787.

Merseyside Police

Father who took seven-year-old son to riot jailed

By
April 14, 2025
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A father who took his seven-year-old son to a riot at a hotel housing asylum seekers has been jailed.

James Garbutt, 41, was seen with the boy on his shoulders outside the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers, Rotherham, on 4 August when major violence broke out.

Sheffield Crown Court was also shown footage of Garbutt, of Kingsbrook Chase, Rotherham, pushing two supermarket trolleys into a fast-moving police car in the nearby Aldi car park.

Jailing him for two years and four months, the Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, told the defendant he was “a dreadful example” to his son and should be “comprehensively ashamed”.

Father-of-three Garbutt, who had 18 previous convictions for various offences such as drug trafficking, harassment, assault and driving while over the prescribed limit, had previously pleaded guilty to violent disorder.

He was also issued with a 10-year criminal behaviour order during the hearing.

The court heard Garbutt, a sales manager who lived near the hotel, came across the disorder while on a day out with the youngster and decided to stay.

Footage showed the pair walking through an increasingly volatile crowd and taking turns filming the scene with Garbutt’s mobile phone.

At around 13:45 BST, Garbutt and the boy were seen in the Aldi supermarket car park, located near to the hotel, where Garbutt grabbed hold of two supermarket trolleys and pushed them into an oncoming police car.

In other clips, Garbutt could be seen bare-chested shortly before a fire was started in front of the hotel’s emergency exit, which prevented those inside from evacuating.

Judge Richardson accepted while Garbutt was “well to the fore” he was there as a “supporter, egging others on” and only actively participated in the disorder in one episode.

Judge Richardson told him: “Unquestionably the most serious aggravating feature of this case is the fact that at all material times you had your seven-year-old son with you.

“At any stage of various incidents you could and should have removed not only yourself but most certainly your son.”
BBC News

IT worker faces jail for anti-Islam cyber attack on WiFi at London train stations

By
April 11, 2025
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John Wik admitted hacking the WiFi system at major London railway stations including Euston, Victoria, King’s Cross and London Bridge


An IT worker who hijacked the WiFi at train stations around the country with messages about terrorist attacks and a claim that Islam is “taking over Europe” is facing jail.

John Andreas Wik, 36, hacked the system so that members of the public who went online saw information about the Manchester Arena bombing, the London Bridge attack, as well as terror attacks in Paris and Stockholm.

The webpage was headed: “We love you, Europe. The Islamisation of Europe is already happening and it’s getting worse each day.”

Westminster magistrates court heard Wik used his access to the WiFi system as an employee of Global Reach, a firm developing and managing the web pages for organisations that offer free Wi-Fi.

Ten train stations in London – Euston, Victoria, King’s Cross, London Bridge, Cannon Street, Charing Cross, Liverpool Street, Paddington, Clapham Junction and Waterloo – were affected by the hack on September 25 last year.

The court heard stations at Manchester Piccadilly, Birmingham New Street, Glasgow Central, Leeds City, Liverpool Lime Street, Bristol Temple Meads, Edinburgh Waverley, Reading, and Guildford were also impacted.

Prosecutors claim the hacked pages were also online at a series of music venues in Germany and Bicester shopping village in the UK – which Wik denies.

At court on Friday, Wik pleaded guilty to distributing threatening written material intending to stir up religious hatred.

He has been warned that he faces a jail term of up to three years for the offence.

Prosecutor Warren Stanier told the court Wik hijacked the usual WiFi terms and conditions page with his anti-Islam message.

“He defaced that initial page so it gave members of the public a long message with images which the prosecution say are anti-Islamic”, he said.

The message began with a warning that “below is just a SMALL taste of what’s coming”, followed by details of the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017 along with images of the 22 people who were killed.

Wik referenced the 7/7 London bomb attacks on the transport network, the London Bridge terror attack by a group of Islamic extremists which left eight people dead, and a 2015 shooting spree in Paris which began at the Bataclan theatre.

Wik’s message highlighted the word ‘Islamic’ several times in bold type, it mention an attack in Stockholm in 2017 where a truck was driven into a crowd, and ended with the words “…and so much more…. In the name of Allah”.

“That message inferred Europe was being taken over by Islam and as a consequence there would be more terrorism on UK soil and in Europe”, said Mr Stanier.

“That message was seen by a significant number of people.”

The court was told Wik was identified as the culprit by Global Reach, as he had used his own user credentials for the hack.

The WiFi page was “defaced” at 3pm and the company revoked all access to the system just under three hours later.

An investigation by British Transport Police then uncovered that Wik had earlier discussed with a colleague the possibility of hijacking the WiFi system.

In March last year, he messaged a colleague: “Europe is slowly getting Islamized, I genuinely think so. It creeps up on us. It’s even worse in North Europe where I’m from but you see it here as well. Even more clear after 7 October. They HATE the west.”

Days before the cyber attack, he mentioned to another work colleague about the “political damage you could do” with access to the system, adding: “Imagine spreading to every person on Network Rail, in whatever world conflict. Hopefully nobody does that, but it shows the importance to limit access.”

The court was told Wik is an “alcoholic”, and he said he had been drinking on the day of the cyber attack.

District Judge Hina Rai freed Wik on bail until sentencing at Inner London crown court on a date to be set.

He is banned from contacting Global Reach colleagues or leaving the UK. Wik was living at an address in Limes Road in Beckenham, but gave his current address as a hotel in Gloucester Road.

Evening Standard

Brothers and cousin attacked police in riots

By
April 8, 2025
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Two brothers and their cousin attacked police together during last year’s riots, a court has heard.

John and Cameron Williams, 32 and 29, and Connor Hicks, 19, were part of an angry mob carrying out widespread disorder across Sunderland in August, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

Hicks filmed on his phone and shouted encouragement as his cousins threw pint glasses at lines of officers.

The trio admitted violent disorder and were each sentenced to two years and one month detention, with the brothers serving that in prison and Hicks going to a young offender institution.

The anti-immigration protest, which was planned in the aftermath of the murder of three girls in Southport, erupted into violence shortly after 16:00 BST on 2 August 2024 with hundreds of people rampaging across the city centre, prosecutor Omar Ahmad said.

Businesses were looted, cars and buildings vandalised and police officers repeatedly attacked with missiles throughout the riot, the court heard.

“It simply wasn’t safe for the ordinary member of the public to be in the city centre,” Mr Ahmad said, adding the “devastating” impact was still being felt by local communities.

Hicks, of Exeter Street, Sunderland, was captured on CCTV goading and shouting abuse at a line of officers, before handing a pint glass to his cousin John Williams to hurl.

Hicks filmed several clips of the action himself during which he could be heard encouraging others to attack, the court heard.

He fled into the crowd as the police line advanced, then ran back to the front and resumed his torrent of abuse when officers stopped, Mr Ahmad said.

John Williams, of Tennyson Avenue in Boldon Colliery, threw two pint glasses at police during the melee and was seen punching and kicking the window of an office building at Keel Square, the court heard.

In his police interview, he said he had been drunk and an “idiot”.

Cameron Williams, of Ridley Street, Sunderland, hurled one pint glass and gestured violently at officers, Mr Ahmad said.

He later told investigators it was “meant to be a peaceful protest” and he could “vaguely recall” throwing a glass.

‘Orgy of destruction’

In a statement read to the court, Northumbria Police chief constable Vanessa Jardin said four officers had required hospital treatment, six police cars were damaged, a police office on Waterloo Place was gutted by fire and officers, dogs and horses were “ferociously attacked” with missiles, including bricks and concrete slabs.

Policing the riot had cost about £1.5m and the long-lasting impact was yet to be realised, she added.

In mitigation for Hicks, Nick Lane said the teenager, who worked laying pavestones for Sunderland City Council, had “deep and genuine shame” for his “loutish behaviour”.

Helen Towers said Cameron Williams was “ashamed, disgusted and appalled” by his actions while John Williams said getting involved had been the “worst decision he ever made”.

They each have two children and grew up exposed to domestic abuse, Ms Towers said.

Judge Carolyn Scott said it was an “orgy of mindless destruction” and the trio had, with others, “brought shame on the city of Sunderland”.

She said those participating in “mass disorder” should expect “severe” sentences, adding “each individual act enflames and encourages others to behave in a similar fashion”.

Judge Scott said the actions of three men were “disgraceful” and “deplorable”.

She said the trio would serve 40% of their sentence before being released on licence.

BBC News

Teenagers guilty of killing man, 80, in park attack

By
April 8, 2025
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A 15-year-old boy and 13-year-old girl have been found guilty of killing an 80-year-old man who was filmed being punched and kicked during a fatal attack at a park.

Leicester Crown Court heard the boy racially abused Bhim Kohli, and slapped him in the face with a slider shoe while he was on his knees during the “intense attack”, while the girl encouraged the violence and filmed it on her phone while laughing.

Mr Kohli died the day after the attack, which occurred yards from his home while he was walking his dog Rocky in Franklin Park, Braunstone Town, Leicestershire, on 1 September.

The boy was charged with murder and manslaughter, but was acquitted of the more serious charge on Tuesday.

Neither defendant can be named because of their ages.

The boy was remanded in custody, while the girl was released on conditional bail.

They will be sentenced on 19 and 20 May.

When the verdicts were read out, the boy leaned forward in the dock while the girl cried, and hugged her mother when she was released.

Addressing the girl, Mr Justice Turner said: “I want to make it absolutely crystal clear that the fact that bail is being granted should not be taken as any indication as to the sentence when the time comes.”

The judge, who will consider a media application to lift reporting restrictions on 19 May, thanked the jury – which deliberated for more than six hours – for their “obvious hard work”.

After the hearing, Mr Kohli’s daughter Susan Kohli said her dad was “brutally taken away”.

“He was a devoted life partner to my mum for 55 years,” she said.

“He was a loving dad, grandad, brother and uncle, a retired businessman and a close friend to many including people who lived in our local community.

“He was an amazing man who loved life. He never took himself seriously. He was good fun to be around and very chatty.

“Despite his age and how frail he looked, he was healthy and very active. He had three allotment plots where he grew fruit and vegetables.”

Both defendants were among a group of children who encountered Mr Kohli in the park on the day he was fatally injured, the trial, which lasted more than five weeks, heard.

Opening the prosecution case, Harpreet Sandhu KC said: “[Bhim Kohli] left his home on Bramble Way. Having left his home, he walked a few yards to the entrance of Franklin Park, where he was going to take his dog for a walk.

“However, Mr Kohli would not get the opportunity to walk his dog for long and never would he return home. That is because in Franklin Park, Mr Kohli had the misfortune to encounter these two defendants.”

Mr Sandhu told the court the boy and girl had spent the afternoon together at Braunstone Park before going to the boy’s home, where he changed his clothes and wore black sliders – a loose-fitting type of shoe similar in appearance to flip-flops – which the barrister said were used in the attack.

He said CCTV footage showed Mr Kohli walked with his dog to Franklin Park at about 18:18 BST, followed by the two defendants and three other children a few minutes later.

The footage of the assault was shown to the jury.

Jurors heard Mr Kohli was discovered by two of his children “on the ground and in obvious pain”.

Mr Kohli, the court heard, had told his daughter he had been punched in the face, kicked, and racially abused.

His cause of death was given as a neck injury causing spinal cord damage, and he had a number of other injuries including fractured ribs.

The boy told a friend he would go “on the run” to Hinckley, in Leicestershire, the day after the attack but was arrested by police minutes later while hiding in a bush, the court heard.

In a letter written by the boy, after he had been charged, to a professional who was working with him, he said: “I am so nervous, well scared and worried. I accept I did it and I’m doing time, I’m just scared about how long I have to do.”

He also said in the letter that his girlfriend had broken up with him and he had been “struggling with that”, so he “needed anger etc releasing”.

When the professional told the boy that the contents of his letter would need to be disclosed, the boy said “that’s my manslaughter plea gone”, Mr Sandhu told the jury.

BBC News

Wigan man jailed after throwing brick at officers during Southport disorder

By
April 8, 2025
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A Wigan man who dismantled walls in Southport to launch at police deployed to protect the public has been jailed for two years, eight months.

Nicholas Mullen, 22 years, of Kingsley Avenue, Wigan was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday 3 April for violent disorder and assaulting an emergency worker.

He was identified on CCTV throwing bricks towards a line of officers who were sent to Southport as disorder broke out on the streets on 30 July 2024.

Mullen was also captured on footage from a police helicopter and on camera phone footage taken by others engaged in disorder.

During one particularly shocking moment, a brick thrown by Mullen struck a police constable. During the disorder in Southport, the violent mob caused multiple injuries to officers, including fractures, broken jaws and lost teeth.

Mullen’s jailing brings the number sentenced for their role in the disorder in Southport and Liverpool to 130. They have been jailed for a total of 241 years, six months, with 191 arrested and 150 charged for their role in the violence visited upon communities in Merseyside.

Detective Sergeant Duncan Sloan said: “Mullen came to a community grieving the loss of three young girls just 24 hours earlier, still reeling from the awful events of 29 July.

“He came here with one clear intention: to cause chaos and destruction. His actions left rubble strewn in our streets, and a police officer deployed to protect our community in Southport was struck with a brick.

“Mullen will now have a considerable time in prison to consider his actions, and whether they furthered whatever cause he thought he was fighting for.

“We know that his actions and those of everyone who took to the streets to commit disorder that day caused nothing but fear, concern and distress to residents in the area.

“The disgusting scenes witnessed will not be tolerated and we advise anyone else who took part in the disorder to do the right thing and hand themselves in.”

Images and footage are still being worked through so please contact us with any information via our public portal mipp.police.uk or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Latest galleries of people we would like to speak to can be found on our X and Facebook pages, and on our force website https://www.merseyside.police.uk/news/merseyside/news/2024/november/latest-cctv-appeal-following-disorder-in-merseyside-during-the-summer/

Merseyside Police

Man jailed after admitting role in city riot

By
April 8, 2025
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A man who admitted violent disorder during the Hull riots last year has been jailed for two years.

Levi Burnham, 29, of Nelson Court, Hull, was seen on CCTV throwing objects at police officers in the city centre.

He also pleaded guilty to stealing from a car that had previously come under attack from a mob causing its Romanian occupants to flee.

Drone footage played in Hull Crown Court on Monday showed Burnham reaching into the front passenger door and taking something before cycling off.

Shops were looted, fires started, cars damaged and police officers attacked following demonstrations involving anti-immigration protesters on 3 August 2024.

In mitigation, his barrister Rachel Scott told the court that her client showed “remorse and regret” for his actions.

She added that he did not go to the city centre to take part in the protest, but “became carried along in the riot”.

Passing sentence, Judge Mark Bury said he accepted Burnham got caught up in events of that day but added “instead of turning away from it you got involved.”

Judge Bury said the large scale public disorder “represents a stain on this city”.

There was an increase in Burnham’s sentence as the judge ruled there was a racially aggravated element to his behaviour.

BBC News

Two boys sentenced for rioting outside hotel

By
April 4, 2025
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Two boys have been sentenced for rioting outside a hotel used by asylum seekers – actions that were part of widespread disorder seen in the UK last summer.

The pair, aged 14 and 17, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty in February to their role in violence outside a Holiday Inn in Tamworth, Staffordshire, on 4 August.

A judge told the older boy his actions were “fuelled by hatred for those who didn’t look like you or sound like you”.

The 14-year-old was given a 12-month community sentence and the 17-year old – who had thrown a beer can, injuring a police officer – given a 16-month custodial sentence, half of which will be spent in detention and half in the community.

Despite her injuries, the officer stayed on duty, the court heard, having been shown video of the missile striking her while the 17-year-old was near police front lines.

“I feared for my life,” she said. “I have two children who are my world. I feared with the violence I encountered my children would be left without a mother.”

Further video footage showed both teenagers as part of a group at the side of the hotel where a window was smashed before a fire was started inside.

The 17-year-old could also be seen ripping out a car park barrier, with the help of others, to use as a weapon.

The prosecution said the teen had told police during an interview that he was “embarrassed and sorry” for ripping out the barrier and ramming it at officers.

He took part in the worst violence, the prosecution argued, adding he also used a tree branch to ram officers, and had instigated the ripping out of the car park barrier.

‘Fuelled by hatred’

District Judge Kevin Grego told the older of the two boys: “Your actions were fuelled by hatred for those who didn’t look like you or sound like you – I would be failing in my public duty if I didn’t impose a custodial sentence.

“I have to consider the welfare of the child before me and counter balance that against the gravity of the offence,” he added.

In addition to the 17-year-old’s 16-month sentence for rioting – the most serious of public order offences – he was given a four-month sentence for assaulting a police officer, to run concurrently.

High-profile pockets of disorder broke out in areas of England and Northern Ireland last summer in the wake of the killings of three children at a dance class in Southport. Social media posts at the time had erroneously stated a man suspected of the knife attacks was an illegal migrant.

The elder boy’s defence lawyer Mr Harpreet Jhawar said his behaviour last August was “an isolated, unprecedented event” and that the teenager’s parents did not recognise those actions.

“The young man is not the one you’ve seen on the video today,” Mr Jhawar said.

The teenager expressed regret, remorse and had experienced low mood since the incident, Mr Jhawar told the court.

He added the events had also had an affect on the teenager’s physical and mental health.

Neither boy had previous convictions, the court was told.

Staffordshire Police said the force had arrested more than 240 suspects so far in connection with violent disorder in Stoke-on-Trent and Tamworth, and a total of 87 people had so far been charged.

In addition to the two boys, 54 others had been sentenced in court, the force said.

BBC News

Man refuses to do jury service as he’s a ‘right-wing anarchist’

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April 1, 2025
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Jonathan Ball told the court that he ‘holds views which fundamentally conflict with the jury system’

A man has refused to attend court for jury service because he is a “right-wing anarchist”. Jonathan Ball, from Southport, was summonsed to serve as a juror at Liverpool Crown Court, but could now face prison due to his “conscientious objection”.

He was told to appear before the Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC today, Monday, in order to “show cause”, or to demonstrate reasons why he should not be found in contempt of court for his failure to show up for his two scheduled dates of service in December last year and earlier this month. However, he again did not attend this morning.

The city’s top judge stated that Ball had initially been sent his summons to serve in October last year but responded with a letter “indicating that he was not prepared to do jury service”. In it, he said: “There is no way I’m going to do jury service.

“As a right-wing anarchist, I hold views which fundamentally conflict with the jury system. I believe my participation would not only be a disserve to the court, but it would also compromise the integrity of the process. Therefore, I respectfully request that my beliefs be taken into consideration.”

But Judge Menary said of this: “This potential juror set out in pretty comprehensive terms his unwillingness to attend. There is no legal basis to exclude a juror on the basis of their philosophical beliefs.

“Jury service is a fundamental and important civic duty requiring all citizens who are summonsed to attend, unless there is a good and sufficient reason for a juror not serving.

“This does not include any conscientious objection or ideological opposition to jury service. That is simply not a good or sufficient reason.

“I am perfectly satisfied by his failure to attend, in the absence of any other explanation than the one outlined by the juror, that there is no good or sufficient reason for him not to attend. Accordingly, I find that he is in contempt of court.”

Ball, who was said to be “not working or in receipt of income”, was fined the maximum £1,000 as a result, a sum he must pay within the next 56 days or otherwise face 14 days in prison in default. Judge Menary however allowed him 56 days to make further submissions to the court.

Liverpool Echo

Racist thug kicked man so hard his head smashed through Plymouth bus window

By
March 30, 2025
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Sam Small admitted the entirely unprovoked racially motivated attack

A man is set to be sentenced next month by a judge after he admitted an entirely unprovoked racially motivated assault on a bus, where he kicked his victim’s head so hard it smashed through a window.

Police were alerted to the incident which took place on a double-decker bus on Mannamead Road at around 9.20pm on Monday, March 24.

Sam Small, aged 31, was arrested the following day and taken to Charles Cross police station before he was interviewed and later charged with racially aggravated actual bodily harm, one count of actual bodily harm and two counts of criminal damage.

Appearing from custody Plymouth Magistrates’ Court today Small, who gave his address as Union Street, pleaded guilty to all four offences.

Outlining the case, prosecutor Hannah Cotton said the victim was waiting at the bus stop at 9.10pm to go to work at Derriford Hospital.

He saw Small in the street “screaming and making noises”. The double-decker bus arrived and he boarded it, heading upstairs to the top deck but was soon joined by Small who sat behind him.

The victim, whom the court said was a man of Asian descent, later told police he heard Small say something to the effect of “getting to the hospital mate” before he then placed his earpods into his ears and began listening to music.

Ms Cotton said CCTV footage from the bus then showed Small getting into the man’s face and said “take off your phone”. The victim removed his earpods and Small screamed at the man “take off your phone”.

The court heard that the CCTV then showed Small holding onto the railings of bus and used it as leverage to lift himself up and kick the victim in the head which caused the victims face to slam against the bus window. The force was so strong that the victim’s glasses broke and they went flying out of the smashed window along with one of his earpods. Another passenger began to scream and ran downstairs and the bus came to a sudden stop.

The victim tried to protect himself by putting his arms up but Small continued his assault, throwing a series of punches at the man. Small then left the bus and the victim was taken to Derriford Hospital for treatment. A CT scan revealed a nasal septum deviation and several cuts and bruises to his face.

In a victim impact statement the man said he was “really shocked” by the attack, adding that he’d been in the country for three years and had “never experienced such rude and arrogant behaviour towards me”. He said it was the usual time he went to work and he was now worried of encountering Small again.

He added that due to his head injury he had been signed off work for a week which he could ill afford and his partner had had to take time off her work to care for him.

Ms Cotton said witnesses had told police Small shouted “leave off our girls” and “he’s taken our girls”. When Small was later arrested by police he was caught on bodyworn video saying “I’ll go guilty, I don’t give a f***. It’s all on CCTV anyway. The rapists and the nonces out there, most of them are p***s, most of them is them foreigners.”

Ms Cotton also noted that during a previous arrest for another offence, Small was caught on police bodyworn video shouting racist comments including “p***s [in] our country, taking our jobs.”

Ms Cotton noted that Small had an “extensive” record of offences to his name including a conviction for grievous bodily harm in 2011 and actual bodily harm in 2020.

In mitigation, Small’s solicitor Michael Crumley said Small had “substantial” mental health problems exacerbated by his learning disability. He said Small’s family had told him that Small had previously been “begging to have some help for his mental health difficulties” and was in a queue waiting to be assessed.

He said Small was “not receiving the help and support he needs at this time”. He admitted it was an “unpleasant offence by anyone’s reckoning” but to explain the background to the offence one would have to “peel back the layers” when Small was eventually sentenced.

The chair of the bench of magistrates said the matter was so serious that their powers of sentence were not sufficient and remanded Small into custody until April 24 at Plymouth Crown Court. They ordered a full pre-sentence report be undertaken by the Probation Service before that date.

Plymouth Herald