Police van was torched and fireworks, rocks, glass bottles and concrete slab were thrown at officers after disorder outside hotel
Thomas Mills, 47
These are the faces of seven men who have been locked up over violent scenes outside the Suites Hotel.
The disturbance on February 10 last year came after a video which allegedly showed an asylum seeker, who was being housed at the site in Kirkby, “asking a 15-year-old girl for her phone number and a kiss” was circulated on social media, leading to what a judge described as a “grotesquely distorted and false narrative” about people in the hotel. An initially peaceful protest resulted in a police van being torched and fireworks, rocks, glass bottles and a concrete slab being thrown at officers.
Paul Lafferty, Jonjo O’Donoghue, Brian McPadden and Thomas Mills were found guilty of violent disorder following a trial at Liverpool Crown Court in relation to their involvement in the incident. Harry Boynton, Warren Cullen, Liam Jones, Christopher Shelley and John Tippler admitted the same charge.
And seven of them were imprisoned for a combined 18 years and three months today, Monday. Cullen, aged 20 and of James Holt Avenue in Kirkby, was handed 20 months while 25-year-old Jones, of Birkin Close in Kirkby, was imprisoned for 27 months.
Warren Cullen
Lafferty, aged 42 and of Quarry Green in Kirkby, received two years and eight months. Twenty-one-year-old O’Donoghue, of Stanley Street in Liverpool city centre, was jailed for three-and-a-half years.
Sixty-one-year-old “self appointed frontman” McPadden, of Britonside Avenue in Kirkby, was locked up for three-and-a-half years. Groans were heard in the public gallery as the 61-year-old’s sentence was announced.
Mills, aged 47 and of Park Brow Drive in Kirkby, received a sentence of two years and eight months. Appearing via video link from HMP Liverpool, he hung his head as his jail term was announced while his partner sat crying.
Tippler, aged 59 and of St Kevin’s Drive in Kirkby, was given two years imprisonment. Forty-four-year-old Shelley, of Delfby Crescent in Kirkby, will be sentenced at a later date after failing to attend court.
John Tippler
Twenty-year-old Boynton, of Shirdley Walk in Kirkby, was handed a 16-month imprisonment suspended for two years with 200 hours of unpaid work, a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 40 days and a three-month electronically monitored curfew from 8pm to 5.30am. Cheers were heard from his supporters as he was told he would be allowed to walk free from court, while his mum burst into tears.
Sentencing, Judge Denis Watson KC said: “Without a single piece of evidence to support it, a grotesquely distorted and false narrative gained traction. That all of those housed at the hotel were rapists and the police were protecting sex offenders and so were just as bad as sex offenders.
“Some wanted to protest loudly, but not violently. However, a substantial number were there to indulge in threats, abuse and violence. There followed some four hours of widespread and serious public disorder.
“Many began to act aggressively and violently. The 40 or 50 police officers present were in danger of being overwhelmed by what had become an angry and violent mob.
“This was sustained and extremely hostile mob violence towards asylum seekers and the police, which involved petrol bombs, numerous fireworks and dangerous missiles. It resulted in three officers being injured.
“Parts of major roads such as the M57 motorway had to be closed for several hours. There was serious disruption to the community.
“Only the resilience and determination of police officers prevented the mob from being able to enter the hotel where the asylum seekers were housed. The events of that evening brought shame to the town of Kirkby and to Merseyside generally.”
Jonjo O’Donoghue
One man was removed from the courtroom by a police officer after being heard to say: “I’ve never heard as many lies in the court in my life. Liar, chatting s***.”
Another woman walked out at one stage saying: “F***ing lies. It’s all lies.”
Martyn Walsh, prosecuting, told the same court on Friday that Merseyside Police had received reports “which stated that members of the English Defence League were going to attend” the hotel on Ribblers Lane, which was “housing refugees and immigrants”, and that initially peaceful protests had turned violent after a line of police were forced backwards as members of the crowd threw glass bottles. Officers clad in protective equipment were said to have been “faced with hostility and violence” and “bombarded with missiles” including fireworks and rocks, with one being injured by a concrete slab.
A police carrier was then set alight and burnt out, causing £83,686 of damage. Several other PCs also suffered injuries during the incident.
Mr Walsh described how video footage showed a hooded Boynton using a tool to smash the windscreen of the vehicle which was later set on fire. The dad to a three-year-old daughter was then seen spray painting the front of the van, and later admitted under interview that he had taken a metal bar from inside and chanted “go home”.
Paul Becker, defending, said on his behalf: “He has been waiting to learn his fate for nine months. He must be terrified of losing his liberty.
“He was 19 when he offended. He has expressed regret and embarrassment, and your honour will bear in mind that he has no previous convictions.”
Cullen meanwhile was “clearly seen throwing missiles at the police cordon”, including a bottle and sticks. He also made attempts to “remove a large concrete post from the ground with another male”.
His counsel Jonathan Duffy said: “He was still a young man, he recognises what he did was wrong and he regrets it. He has been in no trouble since.
“He lost his father aged 14 and had a significant health problem, but despite those difficulties he admits he should not have become involved. For large parts of that time he was just a bystander, but as time moved on he found himself caught up in it and joining in with others.”
Jones was said to have “confronted officers” at a cordon, “shouting and acting aggressively”. He was then filmed picking up an item from the floor and hurling it towards the police.
Liam Jones
Daniel Travers, defending, told the court: “The only time he threw anything was when he was pushed by an officer, causing him to fall backwards. He picked up an object, maybe a bag, that he throws – that is the only occasion he throws anything.
“He left school, went to college and then worked abroad for a year before serving in the army for five years. He has significant issues with his mental health.
“He has the support of his partner and has a three-year-old daughter. In my submission, he has a good chance of rehabilitation.”
Lafferty, who has a previous conviction for manslaughter from 1999, was meanwhile said to have thrown an object towards officers and shouted: “You f***ing bullies. You are provoking the violence.”
Paul Lafferty
Matthew O’Neill, appearing on his behalf, said: “He accepts the findings of the court. It is arguable that, until he picks up an object, that he was acting lawfully and was protesting to the police about what he thought were overaggressive tactics from the police.
“Very sadly, he made the foolish decision to pick up an object and throw it towards the police. It has landed him here today, with a very real risk of losing his liberty.”
McPadden was shown on the video “waving his arms” and shouting “they’re kids” and “we’ll be here every day”. He was then seen pointing at the hotel while saying: “We protect our own.
“You are not from Kirkby. These are t***s.
“They’re hiding behind the f***ing curtains watching us now. Cheeky b******s.
“How do you have the audacity to support them? They better not leave that place in the next few days, or they will be dead.”
Brian McPadden
Stella Hayden, defending McPadden, said: “There is no evidence of him encouraging others to attend. He was vocal at the scene and used unpleasant language.
“It is right to say that, at the end, he comes to the fore and he can be heard expressing his opinion, but he was not alone in approaching the cordon. He was plainly an active participant but he didn’t use violence, carry a weapon, cause any damage or throw a missile.
“He has a lack of relevant or recent convictions. He was last before the court in 1980, and I urge the court that his actions can properly be seen as out of character.
“He is a father of four children and is also a grandfather. He has a significant back condition that impacts his day to day life.”
Mills meanwhile could be seen striking the police carrier with a banner, which read “let’s shout get them out” before climbing on top of the van and holding the sign aloft. His representative William Beardmore said: “Mr Mills has had epilepsy for some time.
“The prospect of imprisonment has had a significant impact on him. In conference, he broke down and cried at those prospects.
“He wonders what will happen if he has a seizure locked in a cell on his own. He is responsible for being where he is, but it has had a heavy weight on his mind and has been a punishment in itself.
“The violence of others was going on before Mr Mills climbed on top of the van. To suggest he played an important role is wrong.”
O’Donoghue, whose previous convictions include conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine, was shown lighting fireworks and throwing them towards officers carrying riot shields alongside Jared Skeete – who was given three years in a young offenders’ institute in April last year after the then 19-year-old, of Irwell Close in Aigburth, pleaded guilty to violent disorder. Anthony O’Donohoe, defending, said: “What he did was reckless and potentially dangerous, but it is very different to a petrol bomb.
“The defendant is at a stage of his life where there are two tectonic plates colliding. On one hand, he is to be sentenced for a serious offence.
“On the other, he is making significant progress. He spent some time in care and left care as a teenager.
“For the past two years, despite issues with homelessness, he has remained offence free. He now has accommodation.
“He has now also gained employment, and is spoken of very highly. There is a different side than the man who acted so recklessly that night.”
A warrant was issued for Shelley’s arrest after he failed to attend court last week. He was heard shouting on the night in question: “We are going to burn that hotel to the ground and smash their f***ing heads in.
“My name is Chris Shelley, and I don’t give a f***. Let’s f***ing have it, f***ing d*******s.
“S***house c***s. Let’s f***ing have it.
“I’ve been waiting 20 years for this. Rapist b******s.
“First person you grab, it’s going off. We’re waiting for yous.
“I’ll take you out. Yous have a s*** firm.
“That dog, let it off, I’ll kick its head in.
“ISIS rapists. I’ll do 20 years in Walton, I’m not a***d.”
Tippler meanwhile was recorded pushing officers and throwing a punch. He also shouted: “There is no black on the Union Jack, send the f****ers back.”
The grandad was then seen holding a riot shield, taken from the police carrier, which he claimed he had “bought for 20p” before returning the item. Tippler’s counsel Paul Wood told the court: “He says how sorry and ashamed he is.
“He knows he has brought shame on his large and supportive family. He has three grown up children and nine grandchildren, and his behaviour has caused them great embarrassment.
“The defendant is in poor health with a wide variety of medical problems for which he is heavily medicated. He has issues with his mental health.
“He has a very good working history and had to give up a job working as a porter for the army because of his ill health. If he receives immediate custody, that would have an adverse effect and the loss of the family home.”
Merseyside Police’s Detective Chief Inspector John Fitzgerald said following today’s sentencing: “I hope this result shows that anyone who causes violence and disorder in our community and threatens or harms our officers will be reprimanded and brought to justice. This incident stemmed from misinformation, speculation and rumours on social media in February last year that was robustly investigated and no further action was taken against anyone who was involved.
“The violence outside the hotel resulted in £83,686 of damage to our vehicles and facilities which could have been used to protect our residents. Officers were bombarded with various missiles and dispersal zones were put in place in the aftermath of the disorder to prevent any further incidents.
“It is completely unacceptable to intimidate and target particular communities in Knowsley in this appalling manner and those who did caused fear and distress to those residents inside the hotel and to the local community. We will always respect the right to protest when these are peaceful, but such violence that endangered our officers and others will not be tolerated.
“In this case, social media speculation, misinformation and rumour can and does cause serious violence in our community. Their sentencing sends a clear message of zero tolerance towards this kind of behaviour within our communities and regions across Merseyside.”
Liverpool Echo