A man who fractured his ankle after leaving a shop with “as many vapes as he could carry” has been locked up.
Anthony Hobkirk, 34, filmed the widespread disorder that broke out in Sunderland on August 2 and recorded himself saying “I love **** like this” and “get rid of the black ***** from this country, too many of them”.
Newcastle Crown Court heard when darkness descended on the city and the trouble continued, fires were started and shops were looted by rioters.
Prosecutor Michael Bunch said Hobkirk was caught on CCTV “sauntering away” from a vape shop that had been raided but he went over on his ankle and fractured it when he struggled with a police officer who caught him in the act.
The court heard Hobkirk, who had downed “about eight pints” that day and said he was on the city for a dog walk, first came to the attention of the police when the vape store was looted.
Mr Bunch said: “He had as many vapes as he could carry in his arms.
“Police arrested the defendant and he was initially compliant but then began to resist and tried to walk away and was taken to the ground.
“During the course of that he turned his ankle and sustained a fracture as a consequence of that.”
The court heard it was when Hobkirk’s phone was examined police found the recordings which showed his presence in the city throughout that day, as well as the vile words he was saying.
Hobkirk, of no fixed address, admitted violent disorder and burglary and has been jailed for a total of 31 months.
Judge Tim Gittins told him: “You, together with many others, brought shame upon the city of Sunderland”
The judge said the language Hobkirk used in his recordings encouraged the violence, although he did not use any himself, and he used “derogatory, abusive, racist and ignorant terms”.
The judge told him: “You received summary justice to an extent by the ankle injury that you sustained, albeit that was entirely your own fault in resisting arrest.”
Judge Gittins added: “You were carrying as many vapes as you could carry and if ever there was a symbol that your behaviour that day, and of others, was not related to any genuine cause or concern, that typifies it.”
Sam Faulks, defending, said Hobkirk’s offending was linked to excessive alcohol use and added: “It’s no mitigation really but he did fracture his ankle so he is already understanding the errors of his ways in a very particular and immediate way.”
Mr Faulks said Hobkirk “staggered” rather than “sauntered” out of the shop with the vapes.
Mr Bunch told the court police officers, dogs and horses were pelted with missiles as disorder spread throughout the city that Friday afternoon and the area was unsafe for ordinary members of the public.
Mr Bunch said: “Officers were met with serious and sustained levels of violence. Officers were attacked with missiles and verbally abused.
“Four officers required hospital treatment and some are not fit enough to return to frontline duties.
“Police vehicles were targeted and damaged. Several patrol cars needed repairs.
“At times lone police on vehicle patrol found themselves targeted by offenders in the middle of the protest.
“Families of a number of officers were at home in fear for their loved ones out on duty, having witnessed the horror of what was unfolding on news and social media.”
The court heard the city’s police hub was set on fire, business premises were smashed and shops were looted.
Northumbria Police Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine said in an impact statement it remains unclear how much damage was caused by the rioters but the cost of repairs could run to hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Police vehicles as well as community buildings and businesses came under attack.
Ms Jardine said the violence was met with a £1 million policing operation and the psychological cost to officers involved is yet to be known.
She added: “The North East is a wonderful, vibrant and safe place to live and work.
“The vast majority of our people are law abiding, proud members of the community.”
Sunderland Echo
