The judge said Joseph McKenzie’s behaviour ‘went far beyond any legitimate public protest’

A Middlesbrough protestor who was ‘at the forefront of the riots,’ has been locked up.

Joseph McKenzie shouted and swore, and “encouraged other rioters to throw a burning wheelie bin at the police’ who stood in a line blocking protestors from breaking away from the march and going down Clarendon Road on August 4. McKenzie, 28, was captured screaming: “I hate the *****,” as violence erupted around him. “Mobs hurled bricks” at officers and police cars were targeted – as 320 officers were deployed in Middlesbrough to police the riots.

McKenzie was convicted of violent disorder by a jury after standing trial at Teesside Crown Court. He claimed that he had become caught up in the riots after he tried to take a shortcut back to his car – which he said he needed to do because of his disabilities – when the police prevented him from doing so.

But on Monday, Judge Jonathan Carroll rejected McKenzie’s story, telling him that he had been seen to be fit and able on the CCTV, showing him walking during the riots.

McKenzie, of Skeldale Grove, in Darlington, appeared in court on video link from Holme House prison. Rachel Masters, prosecuting, told the court that PC Lake saw McKenzie and described him as being “at the forefront of the riots.” Ms Masters told the court that McKenzie was captured “encouraging other rioters to throw a lit wheelie bin at the line of police.”

The court heard that on some streets, the windows of every home were smashed. Ms Masters said that one resident told the police that she saw “mobs hurling bricks” outside.

In mitigation, Alarie Walmsley asked the court to consider a suspended prison sentence. McKenzie “had not thrown missiles or hid his identity in a balaclava,” Mr Walmsley said that his client was held on remand “since his arrest – his lesson has well and truly been learnt.”

Judge Carroll told McKenzie: “You were part of a body of people that had taken to the streets motivated by political cause. We have a longstanding tradition in the UK, of the right to protest. The punishment to be placed on you is not for protesting.

“You, as part and parcel of the violent disorder, went far beyond any legitimate protest. When missiles were thrown, this ceased to be a peaceful protest. You should have left the scene.

“You can be seen in the footage – your attitude, your anger – you were hurling the most unpleasant expletives. It is true that you did not hurl any missiles but you were encouraging the efforts of others, at one stage, to throw a burning wheelie bin at the police.”

McKenzie was jailed for 33 months.

Gazette Live