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Fact check: Several people have been sentenced for racially aggravated crimes

By
August 23, 2024
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Many people have been sent to prison after pleading guilty to various offences following recent disorder.

A widely shared online post claimed that “of all the people arrested during the race riots, not a single conviction was for racial abuse or a hate crime”.

Evaluation

Several people who have been sentenced following the recent disorder were convicted of racially aggravated crimes or stirring up racial hatred.
The facts

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which prosecutes criminal cases in England and Wales, said David Wilkinson, 48, was convicted of “racially aggravated criminal damage”.

Police and prosecutors also said Wayne O’Rourke, 35 of Salix Approach, Lincoln, Rhys McDonald, 34, of Oxford Road, Runcorn, Tyler Kay, 26, from Northampton, and Christopher Taggart, 36, of Caesars Close, Runcorn, all pleaded guilty to publishing written material to stir up racial hatred.

Philip Hoban, 48, of Northcote Crescent, Leeds, was jailed for causing racially aggravated harassment, alarm/distress through words or behaviour in Leeds city centre, West Yorkshire Police said.

Jordan Parlour, 28, of Seacroft, Leeds, pleaded guilty to threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour intending thereby to stir up racial hatred, the CPS added.

Meanwhile, sentencing remarks by judge Guy Kearl KC, sitting at Leeds Crown Court, showed Jordan Plain, 30, of Seacroft, Leeds, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated intentional harassment.

Evening Standard

Thugs jailed for stirring up racial hatred online during violent disorder

By
August 13, 2024
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The two men posted racist messages online while violent disorder erupted across the country

wo men were found to have stirred up racial hatred on Facebook during violent disorder in Merseyside and across the UK. Christopher Taggart, 36, of Ceasars Close, Runcorn, and Rhys McDonald, 34, of Oxford Road, Runcorn, both appeared in Chester Crown Court today (Tuesday, August 13) where they were sentenced for posting racist messages online.

On Monday, August 5, Cheshire Police was made aware of concerning messages openly available to view on Facebook that had been posted by both Taggart and McDonald. The messages included posts containing racial abuse and encouraging people to engage in racial hatred.

Taggart posted the messages online between July 29 and August 6, with McDonald posting messages between July 29 and August 5. Officers used the online profiles to identify the pair and locate them before arresting them on Saturday, August 10. When arrested, Taggart’s address was searched where a knuckle duster was found.

The two men were charged and pleaded guilty before Taggart was sentenced to 32 months and McDonald was sentenced to 28 months for publishing written material to stir up racial hatred. Taggart also pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon in a private place.

Chief Superintendent Alison Ross said: “Since the start of the recent disorder in other areas of the UK, we have been clear that we will not tolerate this kind of behaviour in Cheshire, including those who post racial abuse online. Much of the violent disorder which has taken place across the UK in recent weeks has been fuelled by malicious communications online, something which Taggart and McDonald decided to take part in.

“But they were not able to hide behind their devices and online accounts – they were soon identified and are now being held accountable. This should serve as a stark reminder against posting abusive messages online – we are all responsible for our actions, including what we post on social media.

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Liverpool Echo

Two admit stirring up racial hatred after Southport attack

By
August 12, 2024
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Two men have admitted publishing written material to stir up racial hatred during a week of unrest in England.

Cheshire Police said Christopher Taggart, 36, and Rhys McDonald, 34, published material between 29 July and 6 August.

The men, both from Runcorn, admitted publishing written material to stir up racial hatred at Chester Magistrates’ Court and will be sentenced at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday.

Taggart also admitted possession of an offensive weapon in a private place.

Unrest broke out across England in the days after the fatal stabbings of Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar at a Taylor Swift-themed event in Southport on 29 July.

Prosecutors and police have previously said the disorder was fuelled by misinformation on social media.

A Cheshire Police representative said while there had been “no incidents of violent disorder” in the county, the force had “arrested and charged several people for hate crime and inciting hatred” in the aftermath of the Southport attack.
BBC News