Joseph Pointon launched a drain pipe, threw a brick and dismantled a roundabout during the Hanley riot

A first-time buyer who went to Hanley to arrange a mortgage for a house became involved in ugly scenes of violent disorder. Joseph Pointon, aged 23, allowed his curiosity to get the better of him when he saw a group being aggressive towards police in Hanley on Saturday, August 3.

He ripped off a plastic drainpipe and launched it at police. He dismantled parts of a roundabout at Town Road and threw a brick which connected with an officer’s riot shield.

Now Pointon has been jailed for 28 months at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. Prosecutor Dylan Wagg said Pointon was seen in Cannon Place with others being stopped by the police cordon.

Mr Wagg said: “He was seen to rip a big piece of drainpipe off the side of a house and launch it at the police line. He later dislodged a metal pole from the roundabout at Town Road but it was not thrown. He was involved in dismantling parts of the roundabout.

“He threw a sizeable brick towards a police officer which connected with a riot shield. He picked up a scaffolding pole and attempted to launch it towards the police line.”

Pointon, of Kingsfield Road, Biddulph, pleaded guilty to violent disorder. Andrew Turnock, mitigating, said Pointon has no previous convictions and acted out of character. He was in Hanley to visit a mortgage broker with his partner to arrange finance to buy their first home.

Mr Turnock said: “He was looking forward to a bright future. Since his arrest all that has unravelled. He has had to come to terms with the upset and anxiety he has caused to his family. They are all distressed, shocked and upset.

“This was not an intentional involvement. His grave error of judgement was to see the crowds of almost exclusively men being violent in the stand-off with the police. His curiosity was triggered and he went to see what was going on.

“He got very quickly overtaken by the group mentality. It became a stand-off between the crowd and the police. Shortly after the defendant threw the missiles. It was outrageous disorder against the police. He got swept away.

“He ripped off a drainpipe, threw a stone and dismantled a roundabout, behaviour that is utterly out of character. His family have seen the footage. They can’t believe it is the same person. It was a severe lapse of judgement.”

Judge Graeme Smith told Pointon: “Yours is the most difficult to understand. You attended to see a mortgage broker. You have no previous convictions. You have no mental health issues. This appears to be completely out of character.

“It is said that you were overtaken by a group mentality but others were not overtaken by the same mentality. You threw at least three items at the police in two different locations, a plastic drainpipe, a large brick and a metal pole. You helped dismantle the metal parts of a roundabout. The throwing of missiles has the potential to cause very serious injury.”

Stoke Sentinel