Ritchings was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years over his ‘grossly unpleasant’ behaviour on August 4.

An 18-year-old man has been spared jail after he spoke about burning down a mosque in an online video and shouted “utterly vile” abuse from the top of a phone box during the summer riots.

Max Ritchings, now 19, posted an Instagram story with a backdrop of news footage of the unrest on August 4, saying: “One more mosque, one more f****** mosque in the area, I will burn the f****** thing down.”

Later that evening, he stood on a phone box near Brighton Pier during Pride weekend wearing a St George’s flag shouting abuse about Muslims and that foreigners should leave the country.

Ritchings had pleaded guilty to offences of inciting violence online and causing religiously aggravated harassment at Lewes Crown Court on September 11.

Defending, Nicholas Hamblin, told the same court on Tuesday that Ritchings has made “substantial changes” in his life in a short period of time since the “grossly unpleasant misguided behaviour”, and was seeking help from a number of organisations.

The court also heard Ritchings recognised that he became “obsessed” with online personalities.

Mr Hamblin added that he was somebody easy to indoctrinate who became involved but has now “clearly detached himself”.

Sentencing him, Judge Christine Laing KC said: “It has to be viewed against the background of unrest … taking place (around) the country at that time and this was your contribution.”

“One of those weighted numbers bringing fear to the streets of the United Kingdom at that time.”

But the judge acknowledged that while he committed “very serious and troubling offences”, Ritchings showed self-reflection and was keen to understand his own mental health difficulties.

Ritchings, of Haywards Heath, West Sussex, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to complete 300 hours of unpaid work in the community and 18 sessions of rehabilitation activity.

Evening Standard

An 18-year-old has pleaded guilty to shouting religious abuse from the top of a phone box during Pride weekend.

Max Ritchings, of Haywards Heath, appeared at Lewes Crown Court charged with causing religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress by shouting words aimed at Muslims.

The offence took place in Madeira Drive, near the Palace Pier, during Brighton Pride weekend on August 4 and amid the civil unrest across the country.

Ritchings also pleaded guilty to inciting violence by making posts on social media that encouraged arson towards Muslim religious buildings.

Nicholas Hamblin, defending, said that the period of custody served by Ritchings ahead of the court hearing had been a “short, sharp shock” for him and he had written a letter to the judge to apologise for his actions.

He said Ritchings had handed himself in to police when he heard they had called at his home looking for him.

Judge Christine Laing KC adjourned the case against the vape shop worker for a pre-sentence report and released him on bail until the sentencing date on October 18.

She told him: “You must understand that even if it is a good report and I am giving you bail, it doesn’t mean you aren’t going back to prison.

“Even you must realise how serious the offences are and how seriously they are being viewed by the courts and custody is the likely result.”

Brighton Argus