“His behaviour was awful, quite frankly, and he thoroughly accepts that. He has got thoroughly carried away because he was so annoyed at the police because they wouldn’t let him get to his bicycle.”

A furious grandfather got involved in serious scenes of mob violence in Hull city centre after becoming “incredibly angry” that police would not let him retrieve a bicycle that he had earlier chained to a lamp post.

Ex-drug addict Andrew Wardrobe was later seen pushing a large waste bin towards police, encouraging others and carrying a police riot shield that he had somehow managed to grab, Hull Crown Court heard.

Wardrobe, 54, of Falkland Road, Greatfield estate, east Hull, admitted violent disorder on August 3. His behaviour was part of 12 hours of trouble in the city that day, sparked by the deaths of three young girls in Southport.

The disturbances in Hull included rowdy and violent scenes outside the Royal Hotel in Ferensway, which was being used at the time to house asylum seekers. There were confrontations with police, who were forming a protective line.

There were also disturbances in Queen Victoria Square, Jameson Street and at a garage.

Wardrobe was seen pushing a large blue bin towards police outside the Royal Hotel and trying to get someone to help him do so. He was holding a police riot shield outside the hotel but it was not clear where he got it, the court heard.

He handed himself in to police on August 8 after images of suspects were put out by police. He claimed that he was at the scene by accident and that he had been squirted in the face with pepper spray. He denied any racial motivation for his actions.

Wardrobe had convictions for 45 previous offences, including a one-year custodial sentence in 1989 for dishonesty and another custodial sentence in 1997. His most recent conviction was in 2014 for theft.

Rachel Scott, mitigating, said that Wardrobe was involved in the early stages of the trouble and he was shouting at police. “The main reason that he became involved in this was that he could not get to his bike,” said Miss Scott.

“He had tied his bicycle up to a lamp post earlier. He was trying to get to his bicycle. The police interpreted this as being that he was part of the group.

“He became incredibly angry at this. He was overwhelmed and he got carried away. The behaviour is disgraceful and he is thoroughly embarrassed by his actions and so he should be.

“His behaviour was awful, quite frankly, and he thoroughly accepts that. He has got thoroughly carried away because he was so annoyed at the police because they wouldn’t let him get to his bicycle.

“He behaved terribly. He has encouraged others. There is no getting around that.”

Wardrobe had previously worked as a double glazer and joiner but he developed a heroin and crack cocaine addiction. He had six grandsons, the court heard. He had been in custody for six-and-a-half months.

Wardrobe was jailed for one year but, because of his time in custody on remand, he was deemed to be “time served” and was due to be released later that day.

Hull Live

Seven men have been jailed for a combined 16 years and eight months for their role in disorder in Merseyside.

They appeared at Liverpool Crown Court recently after all pleading guilty to violent disorder in Southport at previous hearings.

It means the total number of people now in prison cells following disorder in Southport and Liverpool stands at 22.

The latest men jailed are:

David Engleby, 29, of Scarisbrick New Road, Southport, was sentenced to two years and four months.

Paul Dryhurst, 33, of Gale Road, Litherland, was sentenced to two years.

Luke Summerfield, 33, of Mansfield Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, was sentenced to two years and two months.

Connor Prescott, 25, of Vaughan Road, Birkdale, was sentenced to two years and four months.

Harvey Gabbott, 21, of Hillside, Tarleton, was sentenced to two years.

Andrew Jackson, 41, of Ramford Street, St Helens, was sentenced to two years and eight months.

Joshua Jones, 31, of St Mark’s Road, in Chester, was sentenced to three years and two months.

Gabbott was sentenced on Friday, 16 August, and Engleby, Dryhurst, Summerfield, Prescott, and Jackson, were sentenced yesterday, Monday, 20 August. Jackson, as well as being sentenced for violent disorder, was also sentenced for possession of a controlled class B drug (cannabis).

Assistant Chief Constable Paul White said: “These seven individuals took part in violent disorder in Southport and it is right that they have been given custodial sentences.

“We are sending out a clear message to anyone who has been involved in violent disorder recently that they will be dealt with through the courts and we are continuing to look through evidence to track them down. To behave so badly is despicable and I am appalled by their behaviour.”

Merseyside Police

Over 200 years worth of jail sentences have now been handed out to over 80 people following scenes of disorder at a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham last summer.

This comes after three more men appeared before Sheffield Crown Court yesterday (Monday, February 24) to be sentenced for their crimes.

Morgan Heeley was part of the mob that set upon the Holiday Inn Express Hotel in Manvers, Rotherham, on Sunday, August 4, 2024.

An active participant in the scenes of violence, Heeley was recorded on CCTV throwing missiles at police, pushing officers and attempting to release a fire extinguisher in their direction.

His actions did not stop there as he was videoed kicking hotel doors and damaging the building’s windows – before placing burning materials in a commercial bin at the exit to the hotel.

Despite being initially pictured without a face covering, during the disorder Heeley attempted to avoid detection by donning a balaclava. However, a distinctive tattoo on his arm revealed his identity to the officers he was trying to attack.

The 26-year-old was arrested on September 18 and was questioned by officers, as well as shown a video compilation of his behaviour. Throughout the interview, Heeley offered no comment, sitting in silence.

Heeley was subsequently charged with violent disorder and arson with intent to endanger life, pleading guilty to both counts at an earlier hearing.

Heeley, of Margaret Road, Darfield, Barnsley, was sentenced to eight years in jail, with a further three years on licence.

South Yorkshire Police said Mason Lowe, of owfield Road, Bolton-upon-Dearne, was recorded throughout the disorder “behaving in a disgraceful manner.”

He attempted to kick officers and grab their riots shields, the force said.

He was also seen attempting to hold a piece of boarding against the fire door of the hotel in a bid to stop people inside from putting out a fire.

The 28-year-old was identified after several videos of him at the disorder were collected and analysed by officers.

Lowe pleaded guilty to violent disorder and arson with intent to endanger life at an earlier hearing and was jailed for seven years and six months, with a further three years on licence.

Also present at the disorder was Paul Edwards.

South Yorkshire Police said the 29-year-old was “part of the group of thugs who rushed into the hotel after a door was smashed in.”

CCTV captured him walking around the inside the hotel before exiting through a smashed glass window.

Once arrested, Edwards claimed in a police interview that he was at the disorder in a ‘peaceful capacity’ as a bystander and that he only entered the hotel to get his friend out of the building.

Despite this, Edwards, of Rotherham Road, Great Houghton, Barnsley, pleaed guilty to violent disorder. He was jailed for two years and six months.

Sheffield Star

Terrified staff and residents feared they would die as fire was lit trapping them inside their hotel

A pair of racist fathers who attempted to fuel a fire at a hotel leaving staff and asylum seeker guests terrified they would die, have been handed substantial jail sentences.

Mason Lowe and Morgan Heeley were part of a seething mob that descended on the 200 terrified residents trapped inside the Holiday Inn in Rotherham during last summer’s outbreak of riots.

Sheffield Crown Court heard how the thugs then attacked police officers deployed to prevent the mayhem turning a deadly tragedy.

Staff working at the hotel thought they were going to die and barricaded themselves inside with freezers up against a door to protect themselves from the rampaging crowd.

Plumbing engineer Lowe, 28, of Bolton-upon-Dearne, South Yorkshire, was jailed for seven years and six months after he admitted arson with intent to endanger life and violent disorder.

His heavily-pregnant partner had shouted at him to “grow up or do not f***ing come home” during the widespread disorder.

Trainee barber Morgan Heeley, 26, also a father of two, from Darfield, Barnsley, also admitted arson with intent to endanger life and violent disorder, and was sentenced to serve eight years behind bars

Judge Jeremy Richardson, the Recorder of Sheffield who has dealt with scores of offenders from the trouble last August, ruled that because both men remained a “dangerous” threat he extended their licence period by three years.

He told the sentencing hearing how they joined “an ugly and extremely violent mob” gathered outside the hotel after misinformation was widely spread across social media following the Southport attack on a Taylor Swift-themed dance class by crazed teen killer Axel Rudakubana.

The judge said: “The disorder was racist and extremely frightening for anyone who was there.”

During the carnage a flaming wheelie bin was pushed up against a hotel fire door, effectively trapping those inside.

Lowe propped a piece of plywood up across the fire door, meaning a police officer inside was unable to direct a fire extinguisher onto the bin.

Masked and draped with a flag of St George, Lowe goaded police that afternoon and pushed out at an officer.

Heeley was seen carefully placing a lit item inside the wheelie bin – although neither defendant started the fire.

He also shoved over a female officer, smashed a large hotel window which raised a cheer from the crowd, tried to set fire to hotel curtains, opened a door on a police riot van, threw missiles at officers and used a fire extinguisher on police.

Judge Richardson told them: “You are both demonstrably capable of executing very serious mob violence and seriously endangering the lives of people whom you appear to despise.

“You were both in the thick of it and each played a prominent role.

“You are both unquestionably dangerous offenders.

“Even though both of you deny this, I am also sure you had a racist mindset at the time.

“Your conduct exemplifies this – despite your protestations to the contrary to the relevant probation officers.

“It is my judgment you will both need careful monitoring when the time comes for your release.

“It is to be hoped the racist malignancy within you both can be eradicated whilst in custody.”

The judge said political protest was allowed in the UK but added: “What took place in Rotherham that day had nothing whatever to do with legitimate political protest, it was a desire to perpetrate racist mob rule and to commit very serious criminal offences in the process.”

Daily Express

You can read the sentencing remarks here

Plumbing engineer Mason Lowe , 28, of Lowfield Road, Bolton-upon-Dearne, was days away from becoming a father for a second time when he joined in the attacks on a Holiday Inn Express in Manvers, Rotherham, during a riot on August 4.

His heavily pregnant partner shouted at him to come home during the widespread disorder, Sheffield Crown Court heard.

Trainee barber Morgan Heeley also a father of two, from Margaret Road, Darfield, Barnsley, also joined the fray in which police officers tried to prevent the building from being set alight with terrified staff and asylum seekers inside.

Now, both men have admitted arson and violent disorder.

Judge Jeremy Richardson, who has dealt with more than 60 people for their involvement in the Rotherham disorder, said: “Since September of last year, I have passed sentence upon many men who were involved in the public disorder at Manvers on August 4 last.

“Some have been idle wasters, others, including yourselves, have had jobs.

“Others, including yourselves, have had families.

“In each of your cases you have young children.

“What a dreadful example to those children who one day, young though they are now, will read about what you each did on that dreadful day last August.

“I hope you are both ashamed of what you did.”

The judge said they were facing long sentences and he wanted them to think about what they have “thrown away”.

Lowe turned up at the hotel on a quad bike. The car his partner tried to get him to leave the scene in was a Mercedes. Judge Richardson called the vehicle “the hallmark of affluence.”

“All of that has been thrown away and whilst you are in prison I want you to reflect upon the hardship you have each caused to your partners and the children.

“They will suffer and I don’t suppose for one moment you gave a thought to any of that when you were indulging in arson and the very serious disorder.”

Joseph Bell, prosecuting, said the violence at the hotel lasted for 12 hours and around 400 people turned up.

A large bin was set on fire and placed beside a fire door.

Lowe, wearing a camouflage mask, propped up a large sheet of chipboard against the fire door preventing people inside from deploying a fire extinguisher on the smouldering bin.

He was seen to goad police and pushed out at an officer.

Heeley, 26, shoved over a female officer, smashed a large hotel window which raised a cheer from the crowd, tried to set fire to hotel curtains, opened a door on a police riot van, threw missiles at officers and used a fire extinguisher on police.

Video footage also showed him adding a burning item to a smouldering bin which was beside the fire door.

Watching the video of the mob violence, the judge said it was “extraordinary” that someone – not one of the defendants – brought a child along to see the trouble.

Judge Richardson also referred to the bravery of the officers inside the hotel that day who were trying desperately to keep the rioters out.

“If they had got inside, goodness knows what might have happened,” he said.

Ian West , for Lowe, said references described him as a “brilliant father”.

The judge commented: “They had a comfortable life and he has now absolutely sabotaged it.”

Rebecca Tanner , for Heeley, said he had been enjoying his first consistent employment learning how to be a barber.

The judge said: “He has thrown away a form of apprenticeship.”

He added that it was “beyond comprehension” that someone who enjoyed spending time with his daughter would not be in a park elsewhere in Rotherham , on what was a nice day.

“Instead of doing what a reasonable father should do, there he is lobbing missiles at police officers and partaking in arson where many, many people’s lives were in danger,” Judge Richardson said.

The judge will pass sentence on Monday afternoon (February 24).

Sheffield Star

Two men who admitted arson with intent to endanger life at a Rotherham hotel housing 200 asylum seekers have appeared in court.

Mason Lowe, 28, and Morgan Heeley, 26, who also admitted violent disorder at the Holiday Inn Express at Manvers on 4 August, should be “ashamed”, Judge Jeremy Richardson said at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday.

Heeley, of Margaret Road, Barnsley, threw a fire extinguisher at police, hit an officer over the head with a plank and tried to light curtains on fire.

Lowe, of Lowfield Road, Barnsley, held up chipboard against the fire door of the hotel to stop people inside from putting out a nearby bin fire, kicked out at officers and attempted to grab a riot shield.

Lowe’s partner, who was heavily pregnant at the time of the incident and now has a baby and a young child, was “going to be a victim as well as everybody else” as a result of his actions during the disorder, Judge Richardson said.

Heeley, who also has two children, was captured on video pushing over a female police officer, opening the door of a moving police van and throwing items including wood and a rock at officers.

He also kicked and broke the fire door, which later had the alight bin placed next to it.

Footage played in the courtroom showed him placing an item in the bin, which the judge said appeared to be “smouldering or alight”.

‘Dreadful example’

Ms Rebecca Tanner, defending Lowe, said he had one previous conviction for driving offences and was involved in blocking the fire exit for only about 10 seconds.

Heeley, who had previous convictions including wounding and affray, “struggled academically” and may have been “looking for kudos” at the riots, said Mr Ian West, defending.

He added that lack of maturity was a factor with the 26-year-old, whose youngest child is aged two.

“He has sabotaged not only his own life, but he has materially affected the life of that child,” Judge Richardson said.

He added both men had set a “dreadful example” to their children and he hoped they were both “ashamed”.

Lowe and Heeley will both be sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on Monday.

BBC News

Scott Brooks travelled from Wigan to take part in the violent disorder last summer

A man who was caught on CCTV throwing a brick at a female police officer during the violent disorder last summer has been jailed.

Violence originally broke out in Southport on July 30 when hundreds of people clashed with police following the deaths of three young girls – Elsie Dot Stancombe, Bebe King and Alice Da Silva Aguiar – in a mass stabbing the previous day.

So far, 176 people have been arrested, with 135 charged and 112 sentenced to a combined 216 years and eight months in prison. Scott Brooks, 38, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court after pleading guilty at a previous hearing for violent disorder in Southport July 30.

Brooks, of Francis Street in Wigan, was captured on CCTV at the forefront and encouraging others to take part in the disorder on Sussex Road. He was seen throwing a large number of objects at police officers, of which one brick hit a female constable on the helmet which caused her to fall to the ground and injure her leg.

Brooks was later arrested and then charged with violent disorder and assaulting an emergency worker. Today, Friday February 21, Brooks was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison.

Meanwhile on Wednesday, February 19 a 30-year-old man from Manchester was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder in Southport. He has been bailed pending further enquiries. On Tuesday, February 18 a 12-year-old male from Wirral was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder in Liverpool city centre that took place on Saturday, August 3. He has been released under investigation.

Detective Sergeant Duncan Sloan said: “Today’s sentencing shows that we are relentless in bringing those who helped cause such violence and disruption to our communities to justice.

“We are committed to ensure those responsible are held to account, including those who travelled to Merseyside to take part in the disorder. We are continuing to identify more people who displayed such abhorrent behaviour which damaged our communities, and we will not stop until we’ve put everyone we possibly can before the courts.

“We advise anyone else who took part in the disorder to do the right thing and hand themselves in.” Police encourage anyone with information to contact them by calling 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Current galleries of people police would like to speak to can be found on their X and Facebook pages, and on the force website.

Liverpool Echo