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Tag Archives: jailed

EDL member jailed for Liverpool Street football brawl

By
July 22, 2013
EDL, English Defence League, football, Jailed, threatening behaviour

An English Defence League (EDL) member has been jailed for nine months after taking part in a pre-arranged brawl between football supporters in London.

Joel Titus, 19, took part in the “pitched battle” between supporters of Brentford and Leyton Orient outside Liverpool Street station in May 2010.

Titus, of Pinner, north-west London, and five other men admitted affray.

The brawl, during which people punched, kicked and threw bottles, was by “prior arrangement”, the Old Bailey heard.

Dean Wells, 22, of Isleworth, west London, was jailed for 12 months, David Mitchell, 19, of Littlehampton, West Sussex, was sentenced to seven months and Andrew Hudson, 26, of Hornchurch, Essex, was given an eight-month jail term.

Steven Donovan, 20, of Hayes, west London, and Thomas Armstrong, 24, of Woodford Green, Essex, were each given suspended six-month sentences.

‘Frightening spectacle’

Judge Timothy Pontius said all six had taken part in a “disgraceful display of violence” that terrified ordinary people using a busy railway station as bottles were thrown across the street during the fight.

The “pitched battle” must have been a “frightening spectacle”, he said, which required a “firm deterrent message”.

Titus, an A-level student, has previously been convicted of threatening behaviour for swearing at a police officer who was trying to break up a fight. He will be sentenced in May.

The incident took place while he was on bail following the football brawl, the Old Bailey heard.

He also has a previous caution for battery after hitting a journalist during a right-wing demonstration in December 2009.

The teenager is a prominent member of the EDL and has been interviewed on the BBC’s Newsnight programme speaking as the leader of the organisation’s youth division.

Henrietta Paget, for the prosecution, said Brentford-supporting hooligans had travelled to the scene after a game against Hartlepool, to meet rival Leyton Orient supporters, who were on their way back from a match at Colchester in Essex.

The court heard Hudson told police that there was “history” between the clubs dating back to the 1980s.

Titus said he went to the scene after hearing some commotion, but denied any knowledge of the brawl being prearranged.

All six were given football banning orders.

BBC News

Man jailed for terrifying attack on Thornhill Lees family

By
July 22, 2013
Burglary, Jailed, possessing an offensive weapon, Racial Conviction, Racist Abuse, threatening behaviour


A MAN who wielded knives, broke down his neighbours’ front door and threatened to kill them, has been jailed.

Leeds Crown Court heard how Daniel Smith had 167 previous convictions before he was locked up for 10 further offences today.

The 39-year-old was not present for his sentencing because he was taken back to Armley prison from the court at lunchtime after destroying two toilets in the court cells.

Smith pleaded guilty to charges of burglary, common assault, possessing an offensive weapon and making threats to kill at a hearing in May.

Today, the court heard how on August 26 last year, Smith hurled racist abuse at a family living near him in Victoria Road, Thornhill Lees.

He attacked their front door with a knife and eventually broke it down.

When inside the house, he threatened to kill the occupants before he was forced back outside.

Sentencing, Judge Guy Kearl QC, said: “They were very real threats, the victims believed, being confronted in their house by a man who they believed was going to kill them.”

Smith was sentenced to nine years in prison and given a restraining order banning him from having any contact with family or entering Victoria Road.

Dewsbury Reporter

‘Haha, haha’: Gloating killer who stabbed teenager over Facebook feud drew cartoon of murder

By
July 19, 2013
murder

A teenager who stabbed to death a 17-year-old over a Facebook feud scrawled a ‘sick’ cartoon of the killing on his cell wall.

Cody Turner died after being stabbed in the chest with a 10-inch long carving knife by Cameron Schofield, also 17.

Manchester Crown Court heard that the victim’s family had gone to Schofield’s Bolton home to confront him.

Cody Turner was stabbed to death
Killer: Cameron Schofield murdered Cody Turner

Killing: Cody Turner (left) was stabbed to death by Cameron Schofield (right) in a row over posting ‘abusive’ comments about a family tragedy on Facebook

They suspected he was responsible for abusive comments about a family tragedy posted on Facebook.

Cody’s sister Lois and Schofield’s mother Jennifer began fighting, said Ian Unsworth QC, prosecuting.

Schofield then stabbed Cody with ‘severe’ force, using the largest of a small arsenal of knives he had in the house.

He had planned to claim he acted in self-defence at trial but confessed to murdering Cody on the day the hearing was due to begin.

The 17-year-old will now spend at least 11 years behind bars before the authorities are allowed to consider his release and could serve much longer than the minimum term.

The court heard that in a ‘chilling’ final insult, Schofield scrawled a picture of his crime while on remand earlier this year.

The sketch, on a pillowcase recovered from his cell, depicts a man with a knife sticking from his chest. Next to it the teenage killer scrawled a smiley face and the words, ‘haha, haha’.

Classmates: Cody passed 12 GCSEs at Sharples School in Bolton, which his alleged attacker also attendedClassmates: Cody passed 12 GCSEs at Sharples School in Bolton, which his alleged attacker also attended

Sentencing, Judge Clement Goldstone QC, called the crude drawing ‘sick’.

He said: ‘How you could ever have thought that what you had done was funny defies belief. It’s a chilling piece of evidence for which only a very limited excuse can lie in your troubled mental state at the time. Cody Turner’s death was as tragic as it was unnecessary.’

Mr Unsworth described how Cody – who left Sharples School with top GCSE grades – made a ‘forlorn attempt’ to flee after being stabbed.

A neighbour then saw him crumple to the floor like ‘a puppet whose strings had been cut’. Cody’s relatives and onlookers battled to save his life as the killer ran inside to call 999. Cody was declared dead at the Royal Bolton Hospital.

After being charged with murder Schofield told police: ‘I just want his family to know I’m really sorry and I didn’t mean to do it.’

While he was on remand concerns for his mental health grew after an officer saw him self-harming and pacing in his cell – and the disturbing pillowcase picture was found.

Defending, Stephen Meadowcroft QC said: ‘They came to his house and they came to confront him. He didn’t go looking for trouble.’

The court heard that childhood experiences had left Schofield scarred by a post-traumatic disorder.

However, sentencing, Judge Clement Goldstone said this ‘provided limited explanation or excuse’.

Sending him down, he told Schofield: ‘By your wicked violence you have snuffed out the life of a boy, who, like you, had his whole life to look forward to.

Daily Mail

Man jailed over Newbury mosque pig’s head dumping

By
July 19, 2013
Jailed, Public order offence, Racial Conviction, racially aggravated harassment

A man has been jailed for three months for dumping a pig’s head outside a mosque in Berkshire.

Rory Rowbottom, from Thatcham, left the animal’s head at the mosque on Pound Street in Newbury on 23 October.

Rowbottom pleaded guilty to one count of racially aggravated harassment and a section 4 public order offence at Reading Magistrates’ Court.

Ch Insp Lindsey Finch said his actions had left the community “distressed and horrified”.

Speaking after the hearing she said: “This was a particularly distressing crime, targeting a very respectful and close community in West Berkshire.”

Lucky Nizami, of the Newbury Mosque Committee, said: “The Muslim community is very tolerant of others’ beliefs, but hold several things very close to them; those are the Koran, the Prophet and the mosque.

“It was therefore beyond the understanding of the community why anyone would wish to insult them by directly attacking one of those, in this case the mosque.”

BBC News

Jail for racist thug who shouted ‘EDL’ when he attacked a taxi driver

By
July 19, 2013
actual bodily harm, EDL, English Defence League, Jailed, Racial Conviction, racially-aggravated common assault

A RACIST thug who punched a taxi driver and dragged him along a street, has been jailed for 18 months.

Lee Preston, 22, targeted cabbie Mohammed Rashid, leaving him with two black eyes, a bruised face and grazes to his shoulders caused when he was dragged to the ground.

Mr John Hallisey, prosecuting, said the cabbie received a call at 9pm on April 16 to collect five men from Chaddesden.

He noticed they were carrying cans of lager and told them these could not be drunk in his vehicle

But after a few minutes, the men started drinking.

“Mr Rashid told them to stop and the response was to start hurling abuse.

“The defendant was saying ‘we are EDL,’ referring to the English Defence League,” said Mr Hallisey.

Preston, of Walbrook Road, Derby, began to throw beer cans out of the taxi until Mr Rashid closed the windows – a move which angered the passengers.

Mr Rashid stopped his cab and told the five to leave.

One said: “Get out and we’ll sort you out.”

When they eventually left, they failed to close the rear doors but Mr Rashid waited until he thought they had walked away before getting out of the cab..

But he was then grabbed and prevented from getting back into the vehicle before being attacked.

During this, he heard chants of “EDL” and one man said: “I’m going to kill you.”

When a second taxi driver stopped to help, he was also assaulted and had his vehicle kicked.

Police were called and Preston was found hiding under a bush.

He admitted affray and racially aggravated assault causing actual bodily harm.

Judge Granville Styler told Preston: “In drink you are a complete lout. This will tarnish your whole career if you are not very careful. This was a disgraceful episode as you no doubt now realise.”

Clive Stockwell, mitigating, told the court: “His record is of a nuisance drunk. I have read a statement from his father who is clearly of the view that his son had a difficulty with drink and he then behaves in a most disgraceful way.”

Mr Stockwell said Preston had gained some educational qualifications while in custody. When he is freed, his father plans to find him work on market stalls.”

The judge told Preston: “It may well be you find on the market stall most of your customers will be Pakistani people so you will have to change your attitude pretty quickly.”

Three other men have pleaded not guilty to charges arising from the night and are awaiting trial. A fifth man has pleaded guilty.

Derby Telegraph

Judge criticises sentencing powers for racist’s anti-Muslim tirade

By
July 19, 2013
EDL, English Defence League, Racial Conviction, religiously-aggravated offence

A judge has hit out at sentencing powers that prevented him from handing out a tougher punishment to a self-confessed racist who threatened to blow up a mosque.

Judge Niclas Parry said he found it “quite staggering” a religiously aggravated public order offence could only attract a fine as a punishment for former soldier John Parkin.

Parkin, who was jailed for 10 months for being in breach of an earlier suspended sentence, escaped separate punishment on two charges of religiously aggravated public order offences following two separate outbursts against Muslims in Rhyl.

On one occasion, Parkin, 26, of River Street, John Parkin, was seen near Ellis’ public house in Water Street in Rhyl, where there was also a mosque, in a drunken condition and he was warned about his behaviour.

The licensee heard him say: “I have got guns. I want to shoot Muslims in the head.”

He spoke about blowing up the mosque and the licensee found his remarks extremely racist and offensive, the court heard.

When police attended they found him shouting and remonstrating with security staff and he was arrested.

Yet he continued with his racist tirade saying: “Muslims are taking over the country. They need to go back to their own country.”

He later told police: “I am a racist. I hate Muslims”, adding that he was a member of the English Defence League, although it was said in court that he was not.

When interviewed, he said that he hated Muslims but would not say why.

Parkin was bailed but then on the night of Christmas Day he was refused entry into Ellis’ Bar because he was drunk and again indulged in a racist tirade.

He said: “Muslims are allowed in but I am not.”

When questioned by police he said he was drunk and could not remember but agreed that he would make such comments and believed Muslims should not be in the country.

“We don’t need them. They are taking over,” he said.

The two offences put him in breach of a 52 week prison sentence, which in June of last year was suspended for two years, following an attack on his then partner.

Sentencing Parkin today at Mold Crown Court, sitting in Chester, the judge branded him a racist and a bigot.

“You typify the ignorance that poisons our society,” he said.

“I frankly find it quite staggering, and I always have done, that the court’s sentencing powers for these matters are limited to a financial penalty.”

Parkin served in the British Army for five years – including a tour of Northern Ireland and two of Bosnia.

He was medically discharged after a landmine exploded in Basra, fracturing his skull.

Wales Online

EDL chanter jailed over ‘vile’ abuse

By
July 19, 2013
EDL, English Defence League, Jailed, Racial Conviction, racially aggravated harassment

An ENGLISH Defence League supporter who chanted “Muslim bombers off our streets” has been jailed for eight months.

Daniel Parker, 39, was with a group who, according to a judge aimed “vile and disgusting” abuse at a religious leader.

The group had been on an EDL march in April when they began throwing stones outside Barnsley Muslim Community Centre.

The imam came out to find EDL supporters shouting abuse including “Why don’t you go back to your country?”

Prosecutor Louise Gallagher told Sheffield Crown Court that the imam heard a loud bang on the window as he was about to lead prayers and then went outdoors, where he “found the language abusive and racist.”

When arrested, Parker, of Prince Arthur Street, Barnsley, told police he was shouting “because he was drunk and an idiot”. He admitted an unusual offence of religiously aggravated harassment.

His barrister Tina Dempster said he was the only one of the group arrested and, if he had not admitted chanting, would probably not have been charged.

Judge Roger Keen said Parker was of previous good character.

But he added: “You and others ought to understand that that sort of behaviour will not be tolerated and people like you will go to prison.

Yorkshire Post

Car-jacker jailed after trying to slash victim’s neck

By
July 19, 2013
criminal damage, EDL, English Defence League, Jailed, theft, threatening behaviour

A violent car-jacker who tried to slash a man across the neck with car keys has been jailed.

Aaron Muxlow was sentenced to 33 months in prison after carrying out a series of verbal and physical attacks.

Muxlow, 21, appeared at Cambridge Crown Court for sentencing after previously pleading guilty to theft, criminal damage, using threatening or abusive words or behaviour and robbery.

Quentin Newcomb, prosecuting, said Nicholas Birch and Luke Banaszkiewicz were driving on Spril 12 to see friends at Arbury Court in Cambridge.

Mr Banaszkiewicz got out to meet friends and Muxlow, of Cambridge Road, Stretham, Ely, approached the car, grabbed the keys from the ignition and demanded Mr Birch give him all his possessions.

When Mr Birch said he did not have anything to give him, Muxlow hit him several times before Mr Birch fled and his friend returned asking for the keys, the court was told.

Muxlow then slashed at Mr Banaszkiewicz’s neck with the keys, leaving a mark, before driving off in the car.

On May 25, Muxlow verbally abused Neera Saini, co-owner of Derby Stores, Derby Street, when she challenged him over a missing bottle of wine worth £6.

He returned on June 3 and intimidated her husband, Karter Singh, because Mr Singh was following him to check nothing was stolen.

Then on June 10, he attacked a cyclist’s bike, falsely claiming the owner, Jon Clarke, was a “pervert” who had taken wine from his trousers.

When Mr Clarke went into the Mace store, in Green End Street, he heard “banging and scratching noises” and went outside to see his bike wheel buckled and Muxlow walking off.

Mr Clarke later returned to the scene with a police officer and they found Muxlow still there.

He was arrested and placed in a police van by Pc Linas Pekarskas but started hurling racist abuse at the officer, shouting ‘EDL’ .

Mark Shelley, mitigating, said: “When he is sober he is actually quite pleasant. When he drinks and takes drugs he is aggressive and unpleasant.”

Judge Jonathan Haworth said the robbery was the “aggravating feature” and sentenced him to a total of two years and nine months in prison, reduced by the 121 days he has spent in custody.

Cambridge News

Man jailed for racially aggravated assault

By
July 19, 2013
assault, EDL, English Defence League, Jailed, Racial Conviction, racially aggravated assault

A Luton man, who carried out a racially aggravated assault when a mob went on the rampage in Luton in May last year, has been sentenced to 16 months imprisonment today, March 26, at Luton Crown Court.

Kier McElroy, 19, of Langford Drive, attacked a young Asian man in a shop doorway in Chapel Street, hitting him across the head with a placard he was holding.

On March 5, a jury at Luton Crown Court, found McElroy guilty of racially aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm on a Luton student.

He had earlier admitted assaulting the student occasioning him actual bodily harm and a second charge of affray, which resulted from his actions that day.

Luton Today

Teen yob threatened staff in grounds of maternity ward

By
July 19, 2013
criminal damage, Jailed, possessing an offensive weapon, threatening behaviour

Shane Martin.

Shane Martin.



A TEENAGER armed with a martial arts weapon threatened visitors and staff at South Tyneside’s hospital maternity unit.

Shane Martin and two friends were told to leave the grounds of the borough’s District Hospital after being refused entry in the early hours of November 6 last year.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that the group continued to try to get in, while women giving birth and being looked after inside could hear their drunken threats and abuse.

When a security guard tried to usher them away, Martin, 18 – who was armed with a set of nunchucks – directed a torrent of abuse and threats at him.

Judge John Milford yesterday jailed Martin, of Summerhill, Jarrow, for eight months after he pleaded guilty to having an offensive weapon and threatening behaviour.

The judge said anyone who behaves in such a way inside hospital grounds can expect to go to jail.

Debbie Breen, prosecuting, told the court Martin had turned up at the hospital in Harton Lane, South Shields, with his pals in tow, to confront a patient’s stepfather over an earlier row.

Miss Breen told the court: “The security guard said he could immediately see they had been drinking.

“They were shouting outside the doors and trying to gain access to the maternity department.”

She added: “They all became abusive towards the security guard.

“The defendant was very agitated. He is described as being in the security guard’s face.

“He was shouting and swearing, and threats were directed towards the stepfather of a patient.”

The court heard a second security guard came to try to calm the trouble, and the police were called.

While staff waited for officers to arrive, Martin was shouting “I will kill you all” and continued to hurl foul abuse.

Miss Breen said: “The verbal abuse could be heard by patients within the unit.”

By the time police arrived, Martin had thrown the nunchucks – which he did not produce during the incident – into a bush, but they were recovered by officers.

Judge Milford jailed Martin after hearing he was on bail for offences of criminal damage at the time of the incident.

He said: “Over a period of about half an hour you shouted, swore and used threatening language.

“You will go straight to custody, as will anyone who acts in this manner and carries a weapon at a hospital.”

Vic Laffey, defending, said Martin accepts he was “very foolish” that night.

Jarrow and Hebburn Gazette