Judge attacks scaffolder Perrie Fisher’s ‘cavalier attitude to justice’ as he imposes prison sentence

A rioter who skipped court to go on a week-long birthday holiday to Dubai has been jailed.

Perrie Fisher, 29, was criticised by a judge for his “cavalier attitude” to justice as he sentenced him to two years and five months for his violent conduct outside an asylum seeker hotel.

Winchester Crown Court was told Fisher wore an England flag as he threw a scooter and bicycle wheels and kicked footballs at the windows of the building, shouting abuse at migrants.

Fisher, a father of one, did not react as he was sentenced after admitting charges of violent disorder and failing to surrender himself at court.

He had flown to Dubai despite being charged for his role in the violence that took place outside Potters International Hotel, Aldershot, Hants, on July 31, two days after the Southport killings.

200 protesters descended on hotel

Fisher, who was detained by police when he touched down at Gatwick on Sunday, was condemned by the judge for his “intimidating and threatening” behaviour and for delaying justice by going abroad.

Tim Devlin, prosecuting, told the court that Fisher, from nearby Farnham, was involved in a protest outside the hotel, which houses immigrants awaiting the outcome of their asylum applications.

“This matter related to a violent disorder that took place on July 31 outside a hotel which is currently being used by the Home Office for asylum seekers,” he said.

The court heard around 200 protesters arrived at the hotel and tried to enter the building after “misinformation” about the identity of the suspect for the Southport stabbings was shared online.

The court heard the group shouted “we want our country back”, “this is what community looks like” and “get them in, get them gone”.

After the group broke into a bike shed, Fisher picked up a bike and threw it into a skip. He was then seen throwing bicycle wheels at the hotel.

“Flares had been set off, and the perimeter wall to the hotel was damaged,” Mr Devlin added.

Police massively outnumbered

The prosecutor said police officers who first attended were not in riot gear and were “massively outnumbered” in a situation that was “rapidly getting out of hand”.

He added: “Security staff and people in the hotel were in great fear about what was going to happen to them.”

The court was shown body-worn camera footage of Fisher throwing the bike in the skip, as well as “lobbing” a children’s scooter towards the hotel and telling a police officer to “f— off”.

He was also seen riding a children’s bicycle and throwing it in the building’s direction.

After reinforcements arrived, the crowd was eventually dispersed.

In mitigation, Alexandra Scott said that Fisher had given police the flight number of his “not inexpensive” holiday so that they could arrest him on his arrival back in the UK.

“He took what steps he could to try and see if he could adjourn it. But ultimately he made a decision to prioritise his commitment to his partner and their holiday,” she said.

Ms Scott added that Fisher accepted his conduct was “entirely unacceptable” having “considered what it must have been like for those inside”.

‘Foul, abusive, racist’ chants

Addressing him about his bail offence, Judge Nigel Lickley KC said: “That demonstrates a cavalier attitude to the courts and the offence you committed. You delayed justice.”

The judge added that Fisher’s actions were accompanied by “foul, abusive, racist chants”.

“The sole purpose of that group of which you were one was to intimidate, frighten, and terrify the occupants of the migrant hotel,” the judge said.

“They were your target – there was no legitimate aim, it was totally unjustified and unlawful. It is troubling to think such activity took place with no justification.

“The mob you were part of was very intimidating and threatening. It has had wide-ranging consequences. People have been made to feel unsafe and fearful.

”[Your offences] are so serious only immediate custody is justified.”

Fisher was jailed for two years and four months for violent disorder as well as one month for failing to surrender.

Former soldier confronted police in Rotherham

Others rioters sentenced on Wednesday included a former soldier who undertook tours of duty in Kosovo, Bosnia and Northern Ireland, who was jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Peter Beard, a 43-year-old father of three from Rotherham, admitted pushing aggressively at a line of police with riot shields as they tried to protect a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham.

Another man, Morgan Hardy, alleged to have been involved in the same riot, had his bail revoked after being accused of throwing chairs, fencing and a fire extinguisher at police.

He pleaded not guilty to violent disorder at Sheffield Crown Court on Wednesday.

Elsewhere, a man who tried but failed to set fire to a wheelie bin which was pushed towards riot police during disorder in Middlesbrough was jailed for 26 months.

Michael Stevenson, 34, was recognised by a police officer who watched YouTube footage of the widespread trouble in the town on August 4.

Daily Telegraph