The nursery worker hurled racial abuse and struck out at a police officer’s riot shield during violent scenes in Southport
A nursery worker cried and hung her head in shame in court as she was shown what happened when “the adrenaline got the better of her”.
Ellie Clarke hurled racial abuse and struck out at a police officer’s riot shield as violence erupted in Southport following the fatal stabbings of six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and nine-year-old Alice Da Silva Aguiar in July.
Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Tuesday, that crowds had gathered in the area around St Luke’s Road in the town in the evening of July 30, the day after the killings, and hurled missiles towards police officers at the Southport Islamic Society Mosque while chanting “this is our f***ing country”, “s***houses”, “scumbag b*****ds” and “who the f*** is Allah?”. More than 50 PCs were injured during the incident with “significant” damage also being caused to residents’ properties.
Christopher Taylor, prosecuting, described how Clarke was seen “at the front of the mob” at around 8.45pm. The 21-year-old, of Chestnut Street in Southport, then pointed towards a cordon which had been formed by officers and shouted “if it was your f***ing daughter who was stabbed dead by a f***ing p**i” and “pushed aggressively” at one of their riots shields.
Appearing in the dock wearing a bright pink cardigan over a black top and with long brown hair, she sat with her head bowed in the dock as bodycam footage of the incident began to be played to the court before wiping her eyes with a tissue. Clarke was arrested on Duke Street in Southport on September 2 in an “agreed meeting” after she had been circulated as wanted.
She gave a prepared statement under interview saying: “I heard about the stabbings in Southport and was very distressed, particularly given the fact that I used to work in a nursery. I was under the impression that there would be a peaceful demonstration.
“My curiosity got the better of my and I went to the front of the crowd. The adrenaline got the better of me and I used language I am ashamed of. I am very sorry for what I did and would like to apologise to the officer involved. I would stress that I was not part of any violent disorder.”
Clarke later pleaded guilty to violent disorder, racially aggravated harassment and assaulting an emergency services worker when appearing before Liverpool Magistrates’ Court last week. She was due to be sentenced in the crown court this afternoon, but the case was adjourned in order for a psychiatric report to be prepared.
Her counsel Daniel Travers told the court that his client had suffered from mental health issues and said that her “involvement was at the lowest end” during an “absolutely appalling incident”. Clarke, who has no previous convictions, was remanded into custody until her new sentencing date on October 22.
Adjourning the case, the Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC said: “If I was dealing with the defendant today, there would be a custodial sentence. That might still be the position. This is all designed to assist and enable me to arrive at the correct sentence.”
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