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Teen who threw loaded sock at police during Middlesbrough riots weeps as he is locked up

By
January 19, 2025
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Video shows Ethan Bowes throwing a sock – filled with heavy items – at a line of police in Middlesbrough

A teenage boy who threw items at the police during the Middlesbrough riots on August 4, wept as he was jailed today.

Ethan Bowes, 19, was captured on CCTV throwing an item at two police officers standing next to their van, in chaotic scenes on Victoria Road. He was later captured throwing a sock – filled with heavy items – at a line of police on Granville Road.

He gestured at them and was seen “goading” officers, who were trying to police the violence across the town centre. 320 police officers were taken off normal duties to police the riots that day. The unrest saw bins set on fire, and items thrown at the police, as rioters smashed the windows of university and court buildings.

On Friday, Bowes appeared at Teesside Crown Court on video link from HMP Durham. He wiped his eyes as his barrister Harry Crowson said that Bowes’s parents were in court, and that they had written references about their son, for the judge to read.

When he was arrested shortly after the riots, Bowes had rocks on him. He initially denied the offences, but he later pleaded guilty to violent disorder and to the possession of an offensive weapon.

Mr Crowson told the court that Bowes has spent over five months on remand, and jail “is the last place he expected to be.”

“He is not used to the prison environment,” Mr Crowson continued, “his parents have missed him a great deal. They have additional needs and his foolish actions have deprived his family business of his help. At the time of his arrest, he was coming out of an extraordinary traumatic event that occurred when he was 14.”

The court heard that Bowes was due to start college and that he wanted to be a mental health nurse but “that may be parked forever, now.”

Judge Tom Mitchell told Bowes: “You knew what you did. You knew you were guilty and you should have said that earlier on. You took part in the violence that blighted Middlesbrough.

“I have no doubt that your autism led you to follow others. You found yourself caught in the maelstrom of violence that day. It doesn’t explain why you chose to throw missiles and taunt the police.

“The true sons and daughters of Middlesbrough weren’t there – they were out on the streets the next day cleaning up the mess. This community will recover from what happened and it will come back stronger.”

Bowes, of Woodhouse Road in Guisborough, wept as he was sent to a young offenders’ institution for 21-months.

Gazette Live

Teenager admits violent disorder during riot

By
November 25, 2024
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A man has pleaded guilty to his part in a riot over the summer.

Ethan Bowes, 19, admitted violent disorder, use of threatening or unlawful violence and possession of an offensive weapon in Middlesbrough on 4 August.

Unrest had spread from an afternoon protest at the town’s cenotaph and was described by officers at the time as “staggering”.

Bowes, from Guisborough, was remanded in custody and will reappear at Teesside Crown Court for sentencing on 14 January.

BBC News

Company director sobs as he appears in court over alleged role in Middlesbrough riots

By
August 6, 2024
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Joe MacKenzie is one of 28 people in the dock at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday in connection with the disorder on Sunday

Joe MacKenzie Joe MacKenzie was 'arrested on suspicion of throwing items, attacking police throughout the day and shouting expletives'

Joe MacKenzie
Joe MacKenzie was ‘arrested on suspicion of throwing items, attacking police throughout the day and shouting expletives’

A company director sobbed in court on Tuesday, dabbing his eyes with a handkerchief, as he was told he would be remanded in custody for his alleged part in rioting in Middlesbrough on Sunday.

Joe MacKenzie, 28, is accused of being among a main body of around 20 men wearing balaclavas and face coverings who clashed with the police during violent disorder in the city.

He is one of 28 people to have appeared at Teesside magistrates’ court on Tuesday in connection with the disorder.

Those who appeared in court are aged between 16 and 56.

Twenty-six are charged with violent disorder, one adult aged 18 is charged with possession of an offensive weapon and another, aged 32, was charged after being wanted on warrant.

A total of 40 arrests have now been made in connection with the disorder in Middlesbrough.

Four adults have been released on bail pending further enquiries, one remains in hospital because of a pre-existing medical condition and seven juveniles were released on bail while enquiries continue.

Mr MacKenzie, from Darlington, began to weep while sitting alongside a dock officer as Chris Tame, prosecuting, briefly outlined the case against him.

Mr Tame said: “The defendant was arrested on suspicion of throwing items, attacking police throughout the day and shouting expletives. He was seen drinking from a can of lager.”
Defendant denies using or threatening unlawful violence

Mr MacKenzie, a director in his father’s kitchen and bathroom business, denies using or threatening unlawful violence and will face trial before Teesside Crown Court on a date to be fixed.

Nick Woodhouse applied for bail on Mr MacKenzie’s behalf, claiming that he had gone into the centre of Middlesbrough “out of curiosity.”

Mr Woodhouse told the court: “Mr MacKenzie was attempting to leave the centre of town and go back to his car but found his way blocked by a police cordon.

“He was told he would have to walk around two miles back to his vehicle, which would have been made difficult as he suffers from a club foot.”

Mr Woodhouse added that Mr MacKenzie was concerned his family business would fold if he spent further time in jail awaiting trial, but he was remanded in custody.

Also appearing at court was Thomas Rogers, 22, of no fixed address, who hurled rocks at police and yelled: “I hope your kids get raped.”

Mr Rogers was remanded in custody awaiting sentence after he admitted being in possession of an offensive weapon – the rocks – and using or threatening unlawful violence.

The court heard he was in a group of 30 people pelting police during the rioting on Sunday.

He later told officers: “I’m glad I threw the rocks.”
Teen accused of carrying axe

A 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is accused of carrying an axe during the mayhem. He is charged with unlawful violence and carrying an offensive weapon.

He spoke in court to confirm his date of birth and address. He was accompanied by a dock officer.

He pleaded not guilty to the weapon offence but did not enter a plea to the other charge.

Andrew Livingston, 53, from Clifton Street, Middlesbrough, denied violent disorder and made no plea to a further charge of possessing a 46cm bladed article.

Shaven-headed Mr Livingston, heavily tattooed and wearing a white vest, looked to the ceiling as he was told he would be remanded in custody until Aug 27 when he will appear again before Teesside Crown Court.

District Judge Marie Mallon remanded him in custody while warning people talking in the public gallery they would be removed if they continued to cause disruption.

Connor Stokes, 26, of Thornaby, Teesside, denied unlawful violence and was remanded in custody after the court heard he was a “main participant” in the disorder.

Mr Tame told the court Mr Stokes, who had been wearing a grey tracksuit and black face covering, had been identified by police as one of a group of protestors hurling rocks.

Mr Stokes called “see you in a bit” to his family as he was remanded in custody by District Judge Helen Cousins.
Possession of offensive weapons

Ethan Bowes, 18, blew a kiss to his mother and father as he faced charges of violent disorder and possession of offensive weapons.

The defendant, from Guisborough, North Yorkshire, pleaded not guilty to possessing a sharp rock, possession of a sock “containing a heavy object” and violent disorder.

The teen, dressed in a black Nike T-shirt, was told he would be remanded in custody. Judge Mallon said: “These offences are too serious to be held in this court and must be heard at the crown court.”

She told the defendant he must appear on Aug 27 for a preliminary hearing.

Ashley Ferguson, 33, of Somerset Street, Middlesbrough, is alleged to have waved a pole towards police “in a threatening manner”.

Mr Ferguson pleaded not guilty to violent disorder and possessing an offensive weapon and was remanded in custody until Aug 27 when he will appear at a crown court.

Jamie Bullock, 20, appeared before the court accused of having a hand in an incident in which a burning wheelie bin was pushed at police.

He was said to have been involved in the incident, with prosecutor John Garside telling the court the accused had “visited the location wearing gloves and a balaclava”.

Mr Bullock, of Berwick Hills Avenue, Middlesbrough, pleaded not guilty to violent disorder.

The court heard he “maintains he did nothing wrong at all – he was offered a lift in a van home”.

He was remanded in custody until his next appearance at crown court on Aug 27.
Police ‘resorted to using leg restraints’

Jamie Govan, 26, who allegedly shouted profanities and kicked out at police during the disorder in Middlesbrough, was also remanded in custody. He denied a charge of violent disorder.

Mr Garside said Mr Govan is accused of shouting: “‘You’re protecting them while they rape and kill kids”, at officers before making “come-on gestures with his hands”.

The court heard he allegedly swung his arms and kicked his legs out at police who “resorted to using leg restraints”.

Mr Govan “maintains he did nothing wrong”, a district judge was told.

The defendant was remanded in custody until his next court appearance on Aug 27.

Lewis Loughlin, 23, of Middlesbrough, was remanded in custody after denying using or threatening unlawful violence in the town’s rioting.

Mr Tame said Mr Loughlin was stopped in a green car which appeared to be involved in the disorder.

Inside they found an empty petrol can, a baseball bat, knives and tools.

Mr Loughlin claimed he was simply “in the wrong place at the wrong time” and had nothing to do with the violence.

He was remanded in custody by Judge Cousins until his next appearance on Aug 27.

Daily Telegraph

“We don’t like Muslims over here’ – Women tied up and tortured man, 23

By
August 4, 2018
Uncategorized

Lois Evans and Emma Storey, were yesterday jailed for imprisoning a man and subjecting him to what a judge described as a "terrifying" ordeal, during which he was battered with a hammer

Lois Evans and Emma Storey, were yesterday jailed for imprisoning a man and subjecting him to what a judge described as a “terrifying” ordeal, during which he was battered with a hammerL



TWO women who tied up and tortured a man are behind bars for what a court heard was “horrific humiliation”.

Emma Storey filmed friend Lois Evans repeatedly batter their victim with a hammer as he begged his grinning attacker to stop.

Evans threatened to use a power drill on his kneecaps and feet, and screamed at the Islam-convert: “We don’t like Muslims over here, you know. I f***ing hate them.”

Footage of the distressing attack was shown at Teesside Crown Court where Evans, 30, was jailed for three years and four months and Storey, 35, got two years and eight months.

Evans – said by a judge to be “glorifying” in the torture of the 23-year-old – later told police she felt possessed.

At one point, she threatened to kill the man, and Storey “baulked”, saying: “I agreed to this, but not to bury a body.”

During his ordeal, the victim also had some of his hair cut out, and Polyfilla put in his mouth by Evans, who told him: “Eat this. You chat a load of s***.”

Earlier, Storey shoved a rag in his mouth to gag him, as her friend produced a range of tools to threaten him with – a saw, wrench, screwdriver and the drill as well as a golf club.

In an impact statement, the victim said: “I lay awake at night thinking about why I didn’t fight back, and how humiliated I felt and still feel.

“I would have loved to have been in the army, but this makes me feel I would be no good if I can let two girls beat me up like this.

“I am constantly paranoid about what’s going on around me and who is around me.”

The women, from Guisborough, east Cleveland, had to be separated by security guards in the dock after a fight in the cells before the case. There had also been trouble between the pair while they were on remand at Low Newton in Durham.

Storey wept in the dock as her phone footage of the attack was shown in court, while Evans watched without showing any emotion.

Storey’s lawyer, Gary Wood, told the court that the mother-of-three has had a ten-year amphetamine addiction and had been drinking with her friend on the night.

“She encouraged with words spoken and filmed this horrible incident using her mobile phone, which she accepts makes her equally guilty,” he said.

“On behalf of the defendant, I am instructed to apologise to all parties in this case, in particular the complainant for everything that transpired.”

Stephen Constantine, for mother-of-two Evans, said: “She seems to have flown completely out of her mind. She told the police that she appeared as though she was possessed.

“This is a young lady who doesn’t ordinarily behave like this. She simply snapped and did a lot of things she bitterly regrets.”

Th court heard that Evans was annoyed at continued unwanted attention from the man, visited him in the early hours of April 5 and ordered him into a car to go to Storey’s home.

The victim was said to have been frightened, but wrongly believed that Storey would stop anything happening to him, said prosecutor Emma Atkinson.

Towards the end of his ordeal on the video, he can be seen on the floor where it looks as though he is being kicked by Evans.

He managed to escape, but was still bound and had Polyfilla in his hair. He suffered extensive brushing to his arms and legs and a black eye, said Miss Atkinson

Evans, of Woodhouse Road, admitted false imprisonment, religiously-aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm and making threats to kill.

Storey, also of Woodhouse Road, pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Judge Deborah Sherwin told the pair: “Each of you have the capacity to be violent bullies when the need, in your eyes, arises.

“It is nothing short of miraculous that his injuries were not worse.”

Neither woman had any previous convictions, the court heard.

The judge told Evans: “It is alarming that you can behave in such a way and you have it in you to act like this.”

She told Storey: “Yours was a secondary role, but in filming it, you were encouraging and egging on Miss Evans in what she was doing.”

When Miss Atkinson was about to play the footage, she warned the court several times: “It’s distressing to watch.”

After hearing screams from the victim, a couple – believed to be the victim’s parents – left the courtroom, but later returned.

Sobbing Storey shouted from the dock: “Marie, I’m sorry.”

Judge Sherwin said: “I have seen the clips and it is quite clear he is begging you to stop, he was cowering away and was clearly terrified.”

Northern Echo