Courts have heard further disturbing details of the riots that broke out across the country following the Southport attack
Dozens more people have been jailed for their part in the riots and violent unrest that broke out across the UK, sparked by the deaths of three young girls in Southport last month.
At least 460 people have appeared in court on charges relating to the disorder, as of the end of this week, including around 70 are under the age of 18. Around 100 people have been sent to jail so far for attending riots in person and for encouraging them online.
This week, one court handed out the longest jail sentence to date – six years. The sentence was handed to 48-year-old David Wilkinson, who was part of a mob that forced three Romanian men from their car during riots in Hull.
John Honey, 25, of Hull, who was part of the same group, was also handed a lengthy sentence – four years and eight months – after attacking a garage leaving nine vehicles damaged, pushing bins at police lines and looting high street shops.
Some of those jailed were told by judges that they will have to miss out on important life events while serving time behind bars. Guy Sullivan, from Plymouth, will miss his son’s first Christmas, while Dylan Carey will miss the birth of his son.
Courts heard that police officers had been subject to horrendous abuse as defendants hurled insults at them. One man told officers: “I hope your children get raped”. Other officers were pelted with rocks, sticks, bins and other missiles and spoke of fearing for their lives during the unrest.
The majority of charges so far have been for violent disorder, which carries a maximum jail sentence of five years. Sentences can range from anything from a community order to increasingly longer spells in prison up to the maximum.
Here are the people put behind bars for their part in the riots over the last seven days.
Ricky Hardman, Rotherham (two years and eight months)
A 41-year-old man was locked up for two years and eight months for his part in the rioting outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham.
Ricky Hardman, who runs a haulage business, was arrested after a picture of him brandishing a piece of wood during the disorder on Sunday August 4 was published in a national newspaper, a judge at Sheffield Crown Court was told.
Video was also shown in court showing the defendant was part of a group attacking a police dog van during the violence outside the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers. Hardman could be seen kicking out at the police van, which was being prevented from moving by people lying in front of it. He could then be seen as part of a group of about six men who violently rocked the vehicle before it managed to drive away.
Recorder of Sheffield Judge Jeremy Richardson KC told Hardman: “The incident was part of wider national civic unrest fostered by some form of malignancy in society spread by malevolent users of social media. There’s no question the disorder was racist in character and extremely frightening for anyone who was there.”
The judge said he could not be sure that Hardman threw the piece of wood he was brandishing at the police but thought he “almost certainly” did. He said he was at the front of a mob attacking and threatening police, who were “shamefully waving the Union flag”.
Hardman, of Norfolk Road, Barnsley, admitted violent disorder. Richard Davies, defending, told the judge his client is “ashamed of himself and the impact that it’s going to have on his family”. He said Hardman did not go to the hotel to get involved with violence but got “carried away”.
Thomas Rogers, Middlesbrough (two years and two months)
A 22-year-old who threw a vacuum cleaner through a house window and told a police officer “I hope your children get raped” during riots in Middlesbrough was “overwhelmed by distaste for what had happened in Southport,” a court heard.
Thomas Rogers, of Wicklow Street, Middlesbrough, was jailed for 26 months after pleading guilty to violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon. Teesside Crown Court heard Rogers was seen throwing bricks at police by an officer who later asked if he was okay as he had blood on his T-shirt.
Rogers replied he had cut his hand throwing rocks at the police and “would do it again”. He told the officer: “I hope your kids get raped, I hate the police.”
A statement from a student who lives in the shared house where Rogers was filmed throwing a vacuum cleaner through the window said he and his partner had been left “feeling differently about the town they called home and the people they lived amongst”. The landlord of the property said: “I feel angry and disappointed with the thugs, especially the idiot with the hoover.”
In mitigation, the court heard Rogers was a “complex and vulnerable young man” who had grown up in care. Tabitha Buck, defending, said the attack in Southport “had a significant effect on him” and he was “overwhelmed by distaste at what had occurred and his distaste at what he felt was a lack of reaction by the police”. She told the court there was “indirect racism at play there”.
Guy Sullivan, Plymouth (three years)
Guy Sullivan grabbed a police officer’s baton and ran off with it during disorder in Plymouth. The 43-year-old has been jailed for three years after admitting a charge of violent disorder relating to the incident during protests in the Devon city on August 5.
Plymouth Crown Court heard the lone officer was up against a grass verge and was using his baton to strike forward in a bid to push back protesters around him. Sullivan, of New George Street, Plymouth, then came behind the officer and grabbed the baton out of his hands.
The officer was pulled to the ground and attacked by other protesters as onlookers filmed and shouted “get him”, “do him” and “let him have it”.
Judge Robert Linford told Sullivan: “You ran up behind Pc Hannaford, who was doing what he could to try to keep the mob, because that’s what they were, at bay. You took his baton and made off with it. As a direct consequence of that, Pc Hannaford, who has been a police officer for a very long period of time, was taken to the ground and beaten. He curled himself into a ball while these people set upon him.”
The judge added: “He must have been terrified, not withstanding his years of experience. He says so close to his retirement this incident has left a sour taste. You played your part in that mob violence. The courts are going to come down hard on people who are part of that widespread disorder.”
Prosecuting, Lewis Aldous said the officer “ended up on the floor and sustained injuries to his head”, but was not seriously hurt. He told the court that the police baton was later recovered from the home of another defendant charged in relation to the protest.
The judge jailed Sullivan for 26 months for the violent disorder. Sullivan had previously received a 16-month prison sentence for smashing into a Tesco Express store during the protests and stealing £281 worth of alcohol. Judge Linford reduced that sentence to 10 months, which Sullivan will serve after the 26-month sentence for violent disorder.
Representing Sullivan, Christopher Cuddihee said his client had “blundered into the situation” and did not look back to see the officer being attacked. “He was drunk that evening, stumbling around, and stumbled into this disorder,” Mr Cuddihee said. “He has never been political in his life. Unfortunately, he has inserted himself into this very serious incident in a very unhelpful and potentially dangerous way.”
A letter written by Sullivan, apologising to the police, was read to the court. Sullivan wrote that he had previously suffered with drug addiction but had passed all drug tests since being released from prison and was now the father of a “beautiful” baby who is five months old. “I am going to miss my son’s first Christmas,” he said. “I am sorry from the bottom of my heart. I can’t believe how stupid I have been.” As he was led to the cells, Sullivan told the court: “Sorry once again officer, I do apologise.”
Ryan Wheatley, Southampton (one year)
A 40-year-old grandfather wearing an England flag ran straight at a police officer at a protest in Southampton “like a rhino”. Ryan Wheatley, of Malvern Close, Fair Oak, Hampshire, admitted running into Sergeant Rob Perry at the demonstration on August 7.
Southampton Crown Court heard that Wheatley went alone to the protest to express his views against illegal immigration after seeing the plans on Reddit. He joined a group of 10 men in Grosvenor Square who were being kept separate from a group of around 400 people chanting “Refugees are welcome here”, the court heard.
Officers then saw him heading round the back of a multi-storey car park to “get out and attack the counter-protesters from the rear”. Bodyworn footage played to the court showed Wheatley, also wearing a face mask, running as Sergeant Perry was shouting “Move back now” before colliding with him.
Prosecuting, Andrew Houston said: “This defendant, like a rhino, ran straight at him and Sergeant Perry was skilful enough to stay on his feet.” Wheatley was tackled to the ground and Pava-sprayed.
Judge Christopher Parker KC said: “It is perfectly clear in bodyworn footage … you clearly intended to take part in violence which occurred, if not to instigate it. Police officers do not go to work expecting to be set upon by idiotic violent hooligans.”
The judge said in “ordinary life” an assault of that nature would not attract a prison sentence but that in this case it was highly aggravated by the victim being a police officer and it being a “highly inflammable public order situation”. Wheatley was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, half to be spent in custody and the rest on licence with a further 12 months’ post-sentence supervision.
Defence counsel Keely Harvey said Wheatley “did not have intention to barrel into anyone” and wanted to apologise to Sergeant Perry, adding: “It was not a deliberate attack on him.”
Lee James, Southampton (one year)
A scaffolder took a knuckle-duster to an anti-immigration protest after going for dinner and drinks with his teenage sons. Lee James, 42, of Southampton, admitted possessing the weapon when he attended the demonstration in the Hampshire city on August 7.
Southampton Crown Court heard that James, wearing a maroon top and shorts, was spotted by a police officer in a large group of people protesting against immigration and asylum, with what looked like a knuckle-duster. An officer approached him as he had his right hand in the pocket of his shorts, and told James if he had something in it to keep it in his pocket and leave the area.
Prosecutor Richard Onslow said James had taken the knuckle-duster out of his van to the protest “on a whim” and told police it was for his protection. Mr Onslow said: “He had been having dinner and drinks with his two teenage sons, he had a few drinks with his meal. He had recently helped out a homeless man in Burger King and was upset about people like that not being helped more.”
He said he decided to go to the protest to “see what it was like” as he had not experienced anything like that before, adding: “He was scared it could be violent, he only went out of curiosity.”
The court heard he had read online about “gangs and violence” at protests and had visions of people with machetes and zombie knives at the demonstration.
Mr Onslow added that the police officer took the decision not to arrest him at the protest because the situation “would have descended into disorder”.
Later James was recorded in a video interview in the protest where he could be seen being “very blase about waving it around his hands as he spoke”.
Sentencing James, Judge Christopher Parker KC said: “Southampton is a city that lives harmoniously and you put that at grave risk. You chose to go along to take part in the protest, but you also chose to take with you a knuckle-duster whose only purpose can be to cause injury to other human beings. It would have taken very little to start a large-scale public disorder incident.”
He added: “You said you wore it to protect yourself but you wore it openly, you were not under any threat.”
His defence barrister, Lucie Taylor, said the consequences of a custodial sentence would be wide-reaching on his children, who he financially supports, but also his business and employees, who rely on him for their work. James was given a 12-month prison sentence, to serve half of the period before being released on licence, and a further 12 months post-sentence supervision.
Cole Stewart, Darlington (one year and six months)
At Teesside Crown Court, a teenager seen “celebrating” after throwing a rock which hit a police officer on the arm during riots in Darlington was detained for 18 months.
Cole Stewart, 18, was one of about 30 people who gathered outside a mosque in the north east town on August 5. The court heard the group was chanting racist and far-right slogans.
Police formed a line separating the protesters from a group of about 60 Asian men who had gathered outside the mosque to protect it. Stewart, of Victoria Road, Darlington, was seen breaking a large boulder into smaller rocks and throwing them towards officers. When one rock hit an officer on the arm Stewart was seen “celebrating with his arms in the air”.
A judge said that earlier that day social media posts had encouraged people to gather on Gladstone Street for a “protest” with the intention of approaching a mosque.
In mitigation, the court heard Stewart had a “very difficult background” and denied using any racist language himself during the incident. Sentencing him to 18 months detention in a young offenders institution, Judge Francis Laird KC said: “You chose to take part in an organised act of public disorder, indeed you were at the forefront of it.”
Dylan Carey, Southport (one year and six months)
A “hardworking family man” will miss the birth of his child after he was jailed for launching missiles at a police van during mob violence which broke out after a vigil in Southport. Dylan Carey’s pregnant girlfriend burst into tears in the public gallery as he was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court to 18 months in prison after he earlier admitted violent disorder.
Carey, 26, from Hindley, Greater Manchester, travelled to the Merseyside town on July 30 with his girlfriend, Natasha Keenan, to lay flowers and light a candle a day after three girls were fatally stabbed at a dance class. Widespread disorder involving a group of about 1,000 people started after the vigil ended with the focus of violence aimed at a local mosque and fuelled by misinformation on social media, Liverpool Crown Court heard.
Chants of “who the f*** is Allah?” and “this is our f****** country” were heard as police officers came under fire from missiles as they formed a cordon to prevent the group from reaching the mosque. CCTV footage was played to the court which showed Carey, wearing black shorts, a grey T-shirt and black cap, twice fly-kicking a police van and hurling a bottle and a tin of paint at the vehicle.
Prosecutor Nardeen Nemat said CCTV and mobile phone footage of the incident was shown “quite quickly” online on X, formerly Twitter, and other social media platforms. A police officer at Southport railway station was shown the footage and stopped Carey about an hour later at 9.05pm when he walked past with his girlfriend and his father. The defendant told the officer he was present at the disturbance but denied any involvement.
He was arrested at his home in Castle Hill Road, Hindley, on August 5 and when later interviewed he said was at the vigil when he saw a notice for a “peaceful” protest about the stab attack. He attended and the crowd became angry as missiles were launched, the court heard, and Carey also “grew angrier” and threw items himself.
Colin Buckle, defending, asked the judge to consider a suspended jail sentence as he submitted that Carey’s first time in custody since his guilty plea last week had already served as a deterrent. He said: “This was wholly out of character and unexpected. His family and partner cannot understand why he acted in this way. He said his intention was not to go to Southport with criminal intent.”
He added: “The defendant told me this morning through teary eyes that he has never been so frightened in his life. He has been in three separate cells with three serving prisoners, all who clearly realise he is quite vulnerable. For the defendant, the deterrent has worked because he has never been in this situation before.”
Judge Dennis Watson KC told the defendant, who had no previous convictions: “You were an active and persistent participant. Those who choose to take part in mob violence can expect to receive significant sentences. The violence which was directed at the mosque and its community was racially aggravated. Violence was also directed at the police who were performing a difficult and dangerous task. The appropriate sentence can only be achieved by immediate custody.”
Drew Jarvis, Rotherham (three years)
Drew Jarvis
A 19-year-old man has been jailed for three years at Sheffield Crown Court after he admitted throwing bricks and lighted arrows at police protecting a hotel housing asylum seekers.
Father-of-one Drew Jarvis was filmed lighting an arrow with a lighter and throwing it at officers during the rioting outside the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham on Sunday August 4, a judge heard.
Footage was shown in court, filmed from inside the hotel, of Jarvis throwing wooden planks at the building, wearing a hoodie and a mask.
When the Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, asked “what possessed him to turn up”, Dale Harris, defending, said: “Probably stupidity.”
Unemployed Jarvis, of no fixed abode, but originally from Barnsley, previously admitted violent disorder.
The court heard how Jarvis told police after his arrest that he went to the hotel because it was “just another opportunity to vote, to sort out the hotel, to sort out the people staying within it”.
Gary Harkness, Plymouth (one year)
Gary Harkness was jailed despite being described by a judge as the “least involved” in terms of “direct violence” to come before him.
The 51-year-old, of North West Road, pleaded guilty to violent disorder during an anti-immigration protest in Plymouth and was handed a 12-month sentence.
Handing out his sentence, Judge Robert Linford said: “Of the people I have thus far sentenced you are the person who provides me with the most difficulty because it cannot be levelled at you that you hit anyone, neither have you thrown anything, neither is it said that you spat at anybody.
“But it is accepted by you that you were a party to this disorder and I have to sentence you on the basis, and you also know that anyone party to it has to receive a custodial sentence.”
The judge said the defendant didn’t attend the demonstration on August 5 “with the intention of starting or being involved in any trouble”, but he had “threatened unlawful violence” and his conduct “could lead people to fear for their safety”.
Harkness, who admitted having drunk heavily that day, was seen making lewd gestures and swearing during the evening and at another point pushes or is pushed by a police officer. At one point in the trial, after watching body-worn camera footage from the event, the judge halted the hearing, seeming frustrated that Harkness was before him.
The case was adjourned while the judge spoke to the prosecution’s Lewis Aldous. Following the adjournment Mr Aldous told the court that Harkness had effectively encouraged the disorder.
John Cann, Plymouth (three years)
A man who launched a firework at counter protestors in Plymouth was handed a three-year sentence.
John Cann, 51, of Patna Place, pleaded guilty to violent disorder during an anti-immigration protest on August 5.
Video was shown to the court of Cann on a bike, launching a firework or flare towards the counter-protesters, as well as picking up objects from the floor and throwing them.
Lewis Aldous, prosecuting, told the court that Cann told police he thought the protest would “kick off” because “an immigrant had killed some girls” but insisted he was not racist.
Ryan Bailey, Plymouth (two years and six months)
Ryan Bailey was seen throwing a can and heard chanting along with others, saying: “Immigrants not welcome here”.
The 41-year-old, of no fixed address, was handed a 30-month sentence after pleading guilty to violent disorder during an anti-immigration protest in Plymouth on August 5.
Curtis Coulson, Sheffield (four and a half months)
A 30-year-old man was caught on CCTV brandishing a stick at anti-racist demonstrators. Footage shown to Sheffield Crown Court showed masked Curtis Coulson waving a stick in front of a woman who appeared to be filming him outside Sheffield City Hall on Sunday August 4, before others from the demonstration advanced towards him.
Coulson is already subject to a football banning order after he was convicted of throwing missiles at a match, the court heard, and he told police he found the mask in his pocket after last wearing his jacket at a football match in Serbia.
The court heard that the incident happened at the same time as South Yorkshire Police were dealing with serious disorder 15 miles away outside a hotel in Manvers, Rotherham.
The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, heard how Coulson had gone to the City Hall after reading about a planned “pro-UK” march. Neil Coxon, prosecuting, said the defendant claimed he was then attacked with a placard by anti-racist demonstrators and it was the stick from this placard he was brandishing in response.
Mr Coxon said Coulson, who told the court he worked as a Tarmacker, complained that the demonstrators called him a “far-right Nazi”. Gordon Stables, defending, said: “He told me he read stuff online which he believed. But he now realises it’s all untrue, it’s a lie.”
Judge Richardson told the defendant: “Individuals who conduct themselves in the way that you did must expect, and will receive, custodial sentences. This form of public disorder is outrageous”.
Coulson, of Water Slacks Close, Sheffield, admitted affray at a previous hearing and has now been jailed for four-and-a-half months.
Kaine Hicks, Rotherham (two years and eight months)
A self-employed construction worker has been jailed for two years and eight months after admitting hurling abuse at police protecting a hotel housing asylum seekers and pushing against officers’ shields.
Judge Jeremy Richardson KC told Sheffield Crown Court that Kaine Hicks, 22, was “exceptionally aggressive” towards police protecting the Holiday Inn Express, at Manvers, Rotherham, on Sunday August 4.
After watching body-worn camera footage of the incident, Judge Richardson told Hicks, of Wombwell Road, Barnsley: “You were part of a mob of ignorant and violent individuals.” He said Hicks was “pushing and shoving towards the front of the group, hurling abuse at the police officers and behaving in a comprehensively aggressive manner”.
The court heard how one officer reported how he had never before experienced such violence and disorder and had been left shocked by the level of hatred aimed at him and his colleagues. Dale Harris, defending, said his client was ashamed by his conduct as he does not hold far-right views and “does not regard himself as having any racist opinions”.
Christopher Taggart and Rhys McDonald, online (two years and eight months, two years and four months)
Two men who called for protests outside a hotel in their home town where asylum seekers were staying have been jailed. Christopher Taggart, 36, and Rhys McDonald, 34, both of Runcorn, Cheshire, pleaded guilty to publishing written material to stir up racial hatred and were handed sentences of 32 months and 28 months respectively.
Cheshire Police became aware of messages posted by the defendants between July 29 and August 6 which were openly available to view on Facebook.
On July 30 Taggart, of Caesars Close, posted: “Who’s up for a rally?” and McDonald replied: “Need to march on the Daresbury Hotel with torches and pitchforks. Enough is enough.” Taggart responded: “All ready (sic) started to ask ppl.”
Another Facebook user asked: “What’s the rally all about?” Taggart said: “To get them gone. We don’t want them.” In the same online thread, McDonald, of Oxford Road, posted: “It’s not about immigration it’s about an ideology. Just happens to be that a lot of these immigrants prescribe to this ideology. Sadly due to this uncontrolled immigration going on for more than 20 years, in some places this ideology is still embedded. It’s not really about immigration it’s about radical Islam.”
On August 4 McDonald wrote: “They need to protest at the hotels where these animals are living. No good in Liverpool city centre. Get to the Daresbury.” One person commented: “Daresbury Hotel needs to go.”
Both men were arrested on August 10 at their homes as police seized a knuckleduster at Taggart’s address. McDonald made no comment to police while Taggart claimed to have ADHD which caused impulsive actions and said he did not mean anything he posted.
Taggart, who also admitted possession of an offensive weapon, had previous convictions for public order offences. McDonald had a previous conviction for a public order offence when he was a youth.
Ian Ward, Brighton (one year and four months)
Ian Ward assaulted a police officer and struck a demonstrator at a counter-protest in Brighton. The 53-year-old, of Portslade, was part of the large crowd in the city centre on August 7, when he forced himself through a line of police officers who were separating the bigger group from a smaller group of protesters, Sussex Police said. Ward attacked one of them and assaulted an officer in the process, the force added.
At the evening protest, Sussex Police had said about 2,000 people attended in Queens Road, which was busy with anti-racism demonstrators holding signs reading “No to Racism” and “Education is key, misinformation kills”.
Ward pleaded guilty to affray, assault and assaulting a police officer and was later handed a 16-month sentence, half to be spent in custody and half on licence.
Chief Superintendent James Collis said: “This is a significant custodial sentence that should send a clear message that any acts of violence are not being tolerated, against members of the public or our officers. We are committed to facilitating peaceful protests impartially and, where individuals step over the line into unlawful behaviour, we will take action.”
John England, online (one year and eight months)
A man who encouraged his Facebook followers to commit an arson attack on a hotel housing refugees has been jailed for 20 months. John England, 45, shared an image on August 7 of people setting fire to a hotel saying he was “so proud of these great English men” and that the same “needs to happen” to a hotel in his hometown, Nottinghamshire Police said.
The defendant, of Big Barn Lane in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty at Nottingham Crown Court to using threatening, abusive or insulting words to stir up racial hatred. His posts also included offensive references to the Grenfell Tower disaster and Islam.
Detective Chief Inspector Nick Hall, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “England’s remarks were not a dark attempt at humour, nor were they a one-off aberration. At a time when many people in our communities were experiencing fear and anxiety, he directly challenged other members of the public to set fire to a building with people inside.”
Glyn Guest, Rotherham (two years and eight months)
A 60-year-old man has been jailed for two years and eight months at Sheffield Crown Court by a judge who watched footage of him pull a police officer, who was trying to protect a hotel housing asylum seekers, to the ground after grabbing a riot shield.
Body-worn camera footage was played in court on Wednesday showing Glyn Guest repeatedly being pushed back by a riot shield as he approached a line of police six times outside the Holiday Inn Express, at Manvers, Rotherham, on Sunday August 4. Guest eventually grabs another shield, causing an officer to fall to the floor to the cheers of the large crowd.
The female officer whose body-worn camera footage was played said in an impact statement how “I was terrified for my safety” during the disorder outside the hotel, which saw more than 50 police injured and attempts to storm and set light to the building.
The officer said “it was a horrific incident of mindless thuggery” and that she had encountered “nothing like it before” in her five and a half years of service.
The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, said the conduct of the “mob” was “vile towards the police officers”. He told Guest, 60, of Pearson Crescent, Wombwell: “You were part of a violent mob and you were playing your part to the full.”
Connor Whiteley, Hull (three years)
Connor Whiteley kicked a female police officer to the ground and joined an attack on a garage which left nine cars damaged during riots in Hull. The 26-year-old pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assaulting an emergency worker and has been jailed for three years.
The court heard Whiteley played a “prominent role” in the “racist, hate-fuelled mob violence” that unfolded in the city on August 3. At this week’s sentencing hearing, the judge encouraged prosecutors to consider charging offenders who played central roles in the disorder with rioting, which has a maximum sentence of 10 years – double the potential tariff for violent disorder convictions.
Hull Crown Court heard Whiteley was at the front of a group confronting police who were trying to protect a hotel known to house asylum seekers, and was seen charging at officers. The court heard he kicked the shield of a female police officer, forcing her off her feet and leaving her with a minor injury to her elbow and forearm.
Whiteley was also part of a group that targeted a garage, setting cars alight and shouting threats at staff, who were forced to lock themselves inside.
Trevor Lloyd, Rotherham (three years)
A 49-year-old man who was part of a mob that stormed a hotel housing asylum seekers during rioting in Rotherham has been jailed for three years. Father-of-three Trevor Lloyd filmed on a phone as the Holiday Inn Express was breached on Sunday August 4 and then followed a group of men in to the building through a smashed-in fire door, a judge was told.
Sheffield Crown Court was shown TikTok footage of the crowd breaking in to the hotel, bringing items including furniture and fire extinguishers outside and then throwing them at a line of police officers holding riot shields who were forced to retreat by the barrage.
The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC – who has already sentenced several people in connection with the Rotherham incident – said this was the “worst footage I have seen”. Judge Richardson told him the hotel residents and staff “would have been terrified” when the mob smashed their way into the hotel building.
The judge said to Lloyd, of Oak Avenue, Rotherham: “I have seen the footage of what occurred. It was frightening and alarming even to watch in the court room. It must have been utterly terrifying for those present, including the police officers.” Richard Adams, defending, said his client had gone to the area to go shopping at the Aldi supermarket next to the hotel but “he made the foolish error of deciding to go and have a look” at the disorder.
Dominic Capaldi, Bristol (two years and ten months)
Dominic Capaldi, 34, has been jailed for 34 months for violent disorder in Bristol on August 3. Bristol Crown Court heard Capaldi was captured on police bodycam footage throwing objects towards officers in the city’s Castle Park, including while crowds chanted “send them back”.
The ground worker was also seen throwing objects at police who were trying to protect protesters from gaining entry to the Mercure Hotel, which is used to house asylum seekers.
Defending Capaldi, John Stokes told the court: “It is very sadly a case of ‘hindsight is a wonderful thing’, he recognises now with retrospect the foolishness of his actions on that day.”
Mr Stokes said Capaldi’s child was turning seven on the day of his sentencing, with the consequences of his client’s offending having a “significant” impact on his family.
Judge Martin Picton jailed Capaldi for 34 months, telling the court: “This was the first post-Southport protest in Bristol to turn violent, but it has to be seen in the context of co-ordinated action on the part of extremists to cause violence, and by so doing to generate fear on the part of the community as a whole.”
Daniel Russell, Bristol (two years and eight months)
Daniel Russell, 47, from Bristol, has been jailed for 32 months after admitting violent disorder in the city on August 3. Bristol Crown Court heard Russell was seen kicking a black man, who may have been part of an anti-racism protest, after the man broke through police lines separating the two groups in Castle Park.
The ground worker was then captured on footage posted on social media kicking out at counter-protesters who were stood in front of the entrance to the Mercure Hotel in Bristol, which is used to house asylum seekers.
Representing Russell, Mark Linehan told the court: “Mr Russell is profoundly ashamed of his actions on that day. He apologises to those that had to witness it, those that had to experience it in uniform, and to the community at large.”
Mr Linehan said his client had learning difficulties and sustained a head injury as a child after being accidentally shot in the head by a pellet gun.
Judge Moira Macmillan jailed Russell for 32 months telling him: “As a result of the activities that were taking place at this time, your neighbours in this city were frightened to leave their homes. These people are still frightened to do so and frightened for the safety of themselves and their children. You decided to take part in a violent protest against immigration.”
Julie Sweeney, online (one year and three months)
A 53-year-old woman who lived a “quiet, sheltered life” was told by a judge that “even people like you need to go prison” after she posted an online message stating: “Blow the mosque up with the adults in it.”
“Keyboard warrior” Julie Sweeney was jailed on Wednesday for 15 months after she sent the comment to her local community Facebook group in Kidsgrove, Cheshire. Sarah Badrawy, prosecuting, told the court one of the group’s 5,100 members became “uneasy” at a number of comments posted on the site in the wake of widespread violent disorder across the country.
Following the posting of a photograph which showed a number of white and Asian people involved in the clean-up from the aftermath of the Southport disorder, Sweeney posted: “It’s absolutely ridiculous. Don’t protect the mosques. Blow the mosques up with the adults in it.” Miss Badrawy said the concerned member found the post “offensive” and “did not like reading it”.
Police were alerted about the post which had been deleted. When arrested, Sweeney told officers: “I’m not being rude but there are a lot of people saying it.” She said she posted the comment “in anger”, had “no intention to put people in fear” and conceded it was “unacceptable” and that she would be “deleting Facebook”.
John Keane, defending, said: “She accepts it was stupid. This was a single comment on a single day. She lives a quiet, sheltered life in Cheshire and has not troubled the courts in her long life. Her character references show she lives a kind and compassionate lifestyle.”
Judge Steven Everett, the Honorary Recorder of Chester, said he took into account Sweeney’s previous good character and a “heart-rending letter” from her husband but went on: “In circumstances such as these, even people like you need to go to prison because a message must go out that if you do these terrible acts the court will say to you ‘you must go to prison’. I’m afraid that’s what I have to say to you today.”
The defendant, of Lawtongate Estate, Church Lawton, pleaded guilty to sending a communication to convey a threat of death or serious harm, an offence under the Online Safety Act 2023.
Mark Bowen, Bristol (two years and one month)
Mark Bowen, 40, of no fixed address, was heard shouting at police: “Shame on you, you horrible c****, I hope it’s your f****** kids next mate”. He was jailed for 25 months at Bristol Crown Court after admitting violent disorder in the city on August 3.
Bodycam footage played to the court showed officers being pelted by objects as protesters screamed “we want our country back”. The court heard that a small number of officers on bicycles were in “genuine fear” as they tried to keep the anti-immigration protesters from entering the Mercure Hotel, which is used to house asylum seekers.
Bowen, who said he had consumed up to 10 pints of cider, claimed in police interview that he did not have social media and believed he was joining in with a “football celebration”. Representing Bowen, Giles Nelson said his client was homeless, did not have social media and was “mortified” to hear of the comments he had made to police. “He is deeply disgusted with himself. He doesn’t have racist beliefs or ideologies,” Mr Nelson said.
Judge Moira Macmillan, referring to the comments Bowen made to officers, told him: “It was a despicable thing for you to say.” The judge added: “Officers were made in genuine fear for their personal safety as a consequence of your behaviour.”
Stuart Bolton, Rotherham (two years and eight months)
A 38-year-old man drove more than 50 miles to hurl racist abuse at police during rioting in Rotherham. Stuart Bolton, who runs a ground-working business, was jailed for two years and eight months at Sheffield Crown Court.
Bolton was filmed angrily shouting at a line of police officers protecting the Holiday Inn Express, which was housing more than 200 asylum seekers, on Sunday August 4. The footage, played in court, showed Bolton screaming abuse and goading officers in riot gear as his partner attempted to calm him down.
The court heard how Bolton, of Manchester Square, New Holland, had driven with his partner and his 15-year-old son from his home in North Lincolnshire when he found out about the ongoing protest.
The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, said: “You were encouraging the remainder of the crowd around and about you to engage in violence.”
The judge also confiscated the Mercedes car Bolton used to drive to Rotherham, after hearing he was disqualified from driving and had no insurance, and banned him from driving for three years.
Elliott Wragg, Rotherham (two years and four months)
A 23-year-old man who threw objects at police during rioting in Rotherham has been jailed for two years and four months at Sheffield Crown Court.
Elliott Wragg was one of a large “mob” of around 70 to 100 people who were throwing a range of items at a small group of 10 police officers outside the Holiday Inn Express on August 4, the Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, said on Wednesday.
Dale Harris, defending, said his client said he had “no racist views” and his actions were “wholly out of character”. He said Wragg went to the hotel after reading on social media about a protest about immigration.
Wragg, of Assembly Way, Barnsley, admitted violent disorder at an earlier hearing.
Far-Right Criminals 