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A man who livestreamed and yelled encouragement to a gang intent on attacking a mosque during a night of disorder has been detained for 15 months.

Brandon Welch, 18, shouted racial slurs as he filmed the violence in Darlington on 5 August, Teesside Crown Court heard.

He was part of a group of 30 white men clashing with about 60 Asian men in the Gladstone Street area, the court heard.

Welch, of Warkworth Way in Darlington, admitted violent disorder.

Prosecutor Rachel Masters said a social media post had been circulating during the day, encouraging anti-immigration protestors to gather in the area that night.

At about 21:30 BST, violence between the large groups broke out, with Durham Police officers attacked with missiles while trying to calm the situation and keep the groups apart.

Ms Masters said the white men were attempting to get to a mosque on North Lodge Terrace, but the Asian men were stopping them.

Welch livestreamed events on TikTok and, in between asking people to follow his account, shouted racial slurs at the opposing group, the court heard.

He also yelled support for the English Defence League (EDL) as well phrases including “go on lads” and “let the town burn”, Ms Masters said.

‘Serious violence’

Welch went on to shout abuse at police officers and encouraged a group to attack a car, with all of his activity captured on his own livestream, the court heard.

In a statement read to the court, Durham Police Chief Constable Rachel Bacon said the disorder had caused devastation to the community and cost the force more than £200,000.

In mitigation, John Nixon said Welsh knew he had acted in an “appalling way” and caused “great fear”, but he was genuinely remorseful.

Judge Francis Laird KC said Welch’s group were chanting “racist and far-right slogans” and carried out “serious acts of violence”.

He said Welch was at the “forefront” of the disorder which had caused public outrage.

The judge said the attack was racially aggravated but mitigation for Welsh included his young age, immaturity, “chaotic home life” and previous good character.

BBC News

Brandon Welch, 18, also shouted racial slurs during the violence in Darlington

A teenager who livestreamed violent disorder in Darlington and urged rioters to smash up people and property has been convicted.

Brandon Welch filmed and live posted the disorder on his TikTok account, during which he encouraged people to smash cars, property, and people up. The 18-year-old also shouted racial slurs during the disorder, which happened on the evening of Monday, August 5. The riot in Darlington was one of several which took place across the country.

Welch was arrested the following morning at his home in the Whinfield area of Darlington after officers identified him through his TikTok account.

He was charged with violent disorder, which he admitted during a hearing at Teesside Crown Court this week, and was remanded in custody ahead of his sentencing on Tuesday, October 15.

Dozens of police officers were deployed to the North Lodge Park area of Darlington after two large groups of mostly males had gathered just after 9pm. This resulted in small pockets of serious violence, which saw bricks being thrown at police officers who attended the scene.

Chief Insp Victoria Cubby, from Durham Constabulary, said: “The scenes we saw in Darlington that evening were atrocious and will not be tolerated. I hope this sends a clear message that anyone who commits these types of offences and tries to incite violence in our communities, that your actions have very real consequences.”

Gazette live

Seven people have pleaded guilty to violent disorder in relation to riots last month.

Hartlepool saw a night of unrest on 31 July, in a wave of disorder that spread across the country following the Southport stabbings and anti-immigration-fuelled social media misinformation.

Tamsyn Carr, 21, James Elliot, 41, John Barton, 33, Natalie Wood, 39, and Dylan Wiley, 28, all from Hartlepool, and Mark Crozier, 38, from Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty at Teesside Crown Court.

Several others who were charged entered pleas of not guilty, relating to riots in Hartlepool and Middlesbrough.

One man also pleaded not guilty to violent disorder and assaulting a police officer.

Five of those who pleaded guilty are due to be sentenced next week, although Carr will be sentenced in October.

Meanwhile, Brandon Welch, 18, from Darlington, pleaded guilty to violent disorder on 5 August in Middlesbrough and will be sentenced in October.

Nine others denied a violent disorder charge relating to unrest in Middlesbrough on 4 August.

Two men pleaded not guilty to violent disorder, two counts of arson and racially aggravated behaviour over the weekend of 3 and 4 August.

However, as the court heard their case was not directly linked to the riot, a trial date was set for 20 January.

BBC News