Archive

Tag Archives: suspended sentence

Shoppers cower as Sunderland and West Ham Utd fans battle

By
December 12, 2013
EDL, English Defence League, Suspended sentence, violent disorder

MEMBERS of the public were forced to cower as football yobs from a gang known as the Sunderland Youth Firm clashed with rival fans in the city centre.

CCTV footage of the organised mass brawl, outside the Revolution bar in Low Row, shows punches and kicks being thrown while bottles were being broken, leaving the pavements covered in shards of glass.

One witness told police they felt “sick to the stomach” by what they saw that day.

Troublemakers then boasted about the violence with West Ham fans, via social networking sites and text messages.

Videos of the fight were also posted on video-sharing website YouTube.

Newcastle Crown Court heard members of the public looked on in fear and were worried for the safety of their children, when the afternoon trouble broke out ahead of the match on January 12.

The yobs were spared jail, but handed football banning orders for three years.

Judge Jeremy Freedman told them: “Football is a source of pleasure to literally millions of people.

“What football hooliganism of the type you engaged in does, is besmirch the good name of football and deter people from going to matches, particularly parents who want to take young children, lest they get caught up in scenes of violence.

“Members of the public can reasonably expect to enjoy the amenities of the town centre without being exposed to this kind of frightening activity.”

Prosecutor Robert Adams told the court the violence itself lasted only about three minutes, by which time police arrived. Mobile phones were seized when the gang was arrested.

Nobody reported any serious injury.

Mr Adams told the court: “It is the Crown’s case that all of the defendants were involved, to some extent in any event, with an organisation self-named the Sunderland Youth Firm.”

Mr Adams said the seized mobile phones showed a series of text message exchanges and boasts on social networking sites both before and after the trouble.

One message said: “Anyone who comes to our city doesn’t leave without a good clip.” Another message, relating to a future game, said: “What are they going to do? Get punched from one end of Sunderland to the other.”

As well as the written messages, the court heard the phones contained pictures and videos of the violence that day.

One of the men declared he “loves football hooliganism” on his Twitter biography.

The court heard the men are not heavily convicted and come from respectable backgrounds.

Defence barrister Christopher Knox said: “The reality is, as soon as the police arrived, everybody ran away.”

Sunderland Chief Superintendent Kay Blyth, said: “There is no place for violence at football matches and we will always do everything possible to make sure those suspected of being involved are traced and put before the courts.”

Football hooligans named and shamed

Lewis Dodsworth, 19, of Bowburn Avenue, Wear View, was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, with 250 hours’ unpaid work.

Bradley Dixon, 19, of Patton Road, Plains Farm, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, with £1,000 costs.

Thomas Kelly, 19, of Eighth Avenue, Chester-le-Street, was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, with supervision and 250 hours’ unpaid work.

Former EDL member Anthony Smith, 26, of Purvis Terrace, Trimdon, who claimed to love hooliganism on his Twitter page, was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, with supervision and 250 hours’ unpaid work.

Connor McCoy, 21, of Perth Avenue, Jarrow, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, with 250 hours’ unpaid work and 12 months supervision.

Paratrooper Jamie Phenny, 21, of The Spinney, Bridgend, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, with £1,000 costs.

Christopher Webb, 24, of East Herrington, Sunderland, was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, with supervision and an alcohol treatment programme.

All pleaded guilty to a charge of violent disorder at an earlier hearing.

Sunderland Echo

Three men appear in court following arrests at EDL march in Exeter

By
December 3, 2013
Drugs, EDL, English Defence League, Suspended sentence

???????????????????

A trio of men arrested in connection with a major national demonstration by a controversial far right-wing group in Exeter have appeared in court.

Kurtis Coyle, Daniel Holmes and Steven Hart were brought before Exeter Magistrates today following the English Defence League (EDL) march in the city on November 16.

Coyle, 21 from Heavitree, was given a suspended prison sentence of four weeks after he admitted the possession of a knuckle duster in the The Chevalier Inn, Fore Street as well as the possession of a class A drug.

He claimed he was planning to take the weapon “to a mate’s house” after apparently buying it online for £10, the court heard.

Coyle was ordered him to pay costs of £165, and was told the drugs – 1.4g of cocaine – would be destroyed.

Daniel Holmes, 30 from Exwick, issued no plea after being charged with the possession of a knife on Queen Street. He was granted unconditional bail and his case will be heard at Exeter Crown Court on January 3.

Steven Hart, 48, from the Pinhoe area of Exeter, was given a custodial discharge of six months after admitting being drunk in a public place.

Hart, who was described as a “long-term alcoholic”, was found lying down on a pavement under the influence of alcohol and unable to stand unassisted, the court heard.

A fourth man arrested – a 49-year-old Surrey man – had been given a fixed penalty notice for being drunk and disorderly in the city centre on November 15.

Chief Inspector Jim Gales, of Devon and Cornwall Police, described the day as a “success” for the force.

“We had to intervene at times to prevent outbreaks of disorder, making a very small number of arrests,” he said.

“But what we [were] able to do [was] to facilitate peaceful demonstrations and allow the inhabitants of Exeter to go about their daily business safely.”

More than 200 people travelled from across the country for the EDL march and rally in the city centre.

But a total of 1,000 people, under the banner of Exeter Together, paraded down the streets earlier in the day and gathered for a rally to condemn the group.

A mounted police unit from South Wales were among a total of 400 officers from as far away as Birmingham who were tasked with patrolling activities.

City centre manager John Harvey described the police operation as “excellent”, saying the force ensured it remained “business as normal”.

“It could have been a day that tarnished the city, but actually it enhanced its reputation. On lots of levels, we can be very proud,” he added.

Some 225 EDL supporters gathered at the Locomotive pub on New North Road before marching along the road, down Queen Street to Rougemont Gardens flanked by police.

Angry exchanges took place between opponents and protestors who chanted “You’re English no more” and “whose streets, our streets” as they marched.

Two protestors donned burqas – traditional Islamic dress – and were seen to imitate Muslim prayer in the middle of a street.

Exeter News & Echo

Mosque fire threat man sentenced

By
November 19, 2013
EDL, English Defence League, Racial Conviction

A MAN who threatened to burn down Hastings Mosque in retaliation for the brutal killing of soldier Lee Rigby in London has been given a suspended jail sentence.

Unemployed Adam Rogers, 28, of Woolwich, a former English Defence League (EDL) activist, was staying with friends in Hastings when he posted a tirade of offensive and obscene remarks on Facebook including the statement ‘the mosque needs burning down’.

He also called on fellow EDL members to congregate at Hastings Mosque in St Leonards.

On Monday (July 15), Rogers was sentenced to 16 weeks in custody, suspended for two years, by Hastings magistrates. He was also given a supervision requirement for 24 months and ordered to pay £85 in costs and an £80 victim surcharge.

Just a fortnight ago, Kevin Newsome, 58, from Luton, was fined £200 by Hastings magistrates after he walked into Hastings Mosque late at night on August 18 last year, threw a number of shoes into the street, and harassed a Muslim family.

On May 22 Drummer Lee Rigby was killed in broad daylight in Woolwich, Adam Rogers’ hometown.

Rogers made the offensive comments on Facebook on May 23 prompting a complaint to police who arrested him on May 24. By then he had removed the remarks from the social networking site.

He pleaded guilty to the charge of sending an indecent, obscene, or menacing message.

At Monday’s sentencing, Aidan Harvey, defending, said that Rogers withdrew his patronage of EDL after the incident.

He said: “Woolwich is a garrison town. He did not know Lee Rigby, but knew him by sight.

“At a time when anger and resentment is running high, to post those comments worldwide is likely to inflame the situation, but I think the most telling point is that he took them off, and not because he was being investigated.”

A number of friends of Rogers had commented on the post that they found it offensive, including a good friend of his who was Muslim.

“Within a very short period of doing what he did, he realised it was wrong when it suddenly became personal to him,” Mr Harvey added.

Sentencing Rogers, Nicola Pankhurst, chairman of the bench, said: “We are clearly aware that this is an offence which is incredibly serious. We are satisfied that this does reach the custody threshold.”

Imam Magdi Osman, speaking on behalf of Hastings Mosque users, said in response to the Rogers and Newsome cases: “We were not necessarily looking for heavy sentences. We are happy to see they have been caught and dealt with.

“We hope that one day we can sit down with them, and talk with each other and understand each other, so that we can live as one.”

Hastings Observer

Torquay ‘Knights Templar’ were inspired by Breivik murders, court told

By
September 20, 2013
criminal damage, EDL, English Defence League, facebook, Jailed, Knights Templar, Suspended sentence

TWO friends obsessed with Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik plotted a far-right hate campaign in Torbay, a court was told today.

John Roddy, 20, and Tobias Ruth, 18, daubed racist graffiti on a mosque and spray painted Brixham police station

bomb

The pair styled themselves as Knights Templar in homage to Breivik and sent letters to Islamic centres telling worshippers to leave the country.

At Exeter Crown Court today Ruth, from Brixham, was sent to a Young Offenders Institution for two years and nine months

He had previously admitted conspiracy to cause criminal damage and to send malicious communications.

Roddy, from Torquay, walked away from court with a suspended jail sentence. He admitted the conspiracy charges and possessing a terror manual on his computer.

Their arrests came in January after an area of Lymington Road in Torquay was sealed off by armed police who feared they may be dealing with a terrorist cell.

Exeter Crown Court was told that police had been hunting whoever was responsible for a series of graffiti attacks on various buildings in Torquay and Brixham dating back to July the previous year.

Red spray paint and the initials KT had been daubed on buildings and 72 incidents of criminal damage were later attributed to the pair.

Among the buildings targeted were Brixham police station; a council-owned building in St Mary’s Park; the Union Street car park in Torquay and a children’s play area in Plainmoor.

Racist slogans were sprayed on the Torquay Islamic Centre.

Police arrested Roddy after a large billboard had been daubed by the words ‘Knights Templar’

Police analysed Facebook traffic between Roddy and Ruth and discovered the pair had been in conversation about places to target.

Roddy’s laptop was found to contain an “al-Qaeda training manual” and Breivik’s ‘2083 A European Declaration of Independence’.

Jeremy Atkinson prosecuting, said: “Both developed an obsession with the personality and ideology of Anders Breivik, the convicted Norwegian terrorist and mass murderer.

“The defendants had attempted to act out to some extent their own form of activity under the banner of Knights Templar, an organisation discussed at some length by Anders Breivik and aspired to be part of that organisation or their own version of it.”

He said in July the pair had taken part in an ‘initiation right’ with each of them branding the other on the upper arm with a hot metal cross to signify their allegiance to the Knights Templar.

Letters sent to the Islamic Centre in Torquay included the words ‘Leave this town today or there will be hell to pay.’

Identical letters, shown to have been addressed by Roddy and using cut out letters from newspapers, were also sent to mosques in Brighton and Plymouth.

Lee Brembridge mitigating for Roddy, now of Old Mill Road,said there was no evidence any of the material found in his possession would be used for terrorist purposes and the material had not been distributed.

He said Roddy was shy and had been assessed by a mental health team. He also had Asperger’s and autism.

Roddy, he said, had come under the influence of Ruth after the pair met on a bricklayer’s course at South Devon College, at which point his family had started to notice a behavioural change.

Kevin Hopper, mitigating for Ruth, said his client was a ‘social inadequate’ who was easily influenced by others. He said Ruth had been 17 at the time and compensation claimed for the graffiti only amounted to £500.

But Judge Francis Gilbert QC said the real cost was far higher and ran into thousands of pounds.

“At least one of the acts of criminal damage was motivated by racial hatred,” he added.

“The racial element of the offences is obvious.”

Roddy was given 23 months in a Young Offenders Institution, suspended for two years and 18 months supervision.

Torquay Herald Express

The berk in a “burkha” : CCTV of St George riots

By
September 19, 2013
community order, EDL, English Defence League, Suspended sentence

A RIOTER told police he wore a balaclava to imitate someone in a burkha during the trouble that broke out during a march in memory of murdered soldier Lee Rigby.

Craig Oakley, 41, joined a march the judge described as little more than a “pub crawl” for men aged between 18 and 35 – some of whom were members of the English Defence League,

The march was organised in Kingswood via social-networking website Facebook following the death of Drummer Rigby in Woolwich, London on May 22.

What started as a relatively peaceful event, with some 20 to 30 people involved, became fractious and resulted in police ‘kettling’ the group, that by then had swollen to around 60 people, in St George’s Hall pub in Redfield.

oakley

During that time Oakley, a security guard, was filmed by police chanting, helping build the barricade of tables and chairs in the pub and kicking out at an police officer.

The married father-of-two of Nover’s Lane, Knowle was arrested and later admitted affray.

At Bristol Crown Court he was given a five-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months with 100 hours unpaid work and must pay a £80 victim surcharge.

Richard Posner, prosecuting, said police quickly realised what had been organised as a family event was nothing of the sort and extra officers were called in.

After they saw Oakley had kicked out at a police officer and helped build the barricade in the pub he was arrested and a balaclava was found in his jeans pocket.

“He had put that balaclava on and made gestures at police officers,” Mr Posner said.

“He said he did so to imitate the wearing of a burkha. They could not say if he was shouting racist abuse.”

Mr Posner said Oakley was quick to apologise for his actions and was seen to be ashamed and embarrassed that he had let his family down.

Robert Morgan-Jones, for Oakley, made it clear there was no evidence his client was a member of the EDL, had hurled racist abuse or thrown bottles at police officers.

He added that there was substantial evidence of Oakley pulling back protesters who were attacking police and he had kicked out in a “moment of madness.”

Mr Morgan-Jones conceded Oakley’s explanation for wearing the balaclava was “ridiculous” but denied he had it there to conceal his identity.

“It speaks more of a lack of thought and stupidity than anything pre-planned,” he said.

Mr Morgan-Jones said Oakley had written a letter expressing his remorse before he was even interviewed, and he had paid a heavy price because he had been unable to get his licence from the Security Industry Authority because of his actions.

Recorder David Evans told Oakley: “You chose to take part in this event and stayed with the marchers for the duration once you had joined them. That meant going to various pubs and drinking alcohol with the group getting increasingly rowdy.

“It has been said on your behalf that kicking out at police was a moment of madness but I’m afraid I don’t agree.

“No one required you to go out drinking or to be at the forefront of the group. It was not a moment of madness, it was a moment of utterly unneeded drunken aggression.

“While wearing the balaclava is not an act of violence it is an aggravating feature and could only have been taken with you on the march with a particular intention.”


Bristol Post

Family man spared jail over ‘Lee Rigby’ riot

By
July 31, 2013
community order, EDL, English Defence League, Suspended sentence, threatening unlawful violence
Disorder followed a walk raising money for the Help for Heroes charity, and in memory of murdered drummer Lee Rigby, in Bristol last month.

Disorder followed a walk raising money for the Help for Heroes charity, and in memory of murdered drummer Lee Rigby, in Bristol last month.

Paul Lloyd, a family man involved in riots that followed the murder of soldier Lee Rigby has been given a suspended jail term.

Paul Lloyd was singled out from a group of men who clashed with police when a supposed peace walk turned violent, Bristol Crown Court heard.

The court was told members of the English Defence League, as well as supporters of United Against Fascists, converged in Kingswood for the social- media-sparked event.

Police arrested Lloyd in a melee that resulted and spotted him mouthing “EDL” during a stand-off in a pub in St George, the court heard.

Lloyd, 39, of Little Stoke, pleaded guilty to threatening unlawful violence The judge handed Lloyd a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, with 200 hours of unpaid work. He was ordered to pay £150 prosecution costs and an £80 victim surcharge.

Bristol Post

Asbo woman jailed over racist graffiti spree.

By
July 31, 2013
ASBO, criminal damage, EDL, English Defence League, Racial Conviction, racially-aggravated criminal damage, Suspended sentence

Georgina Gontar, 20, of Old Woking, pleaded guilty to a breach of an Asbo, four offences of racially aggravated criminal damage and two of causing criminal damage when she appeared at Guildford Magistrates’ Court last Wednesday (April 17).

The graffiti, including the the name “Bin Laden” and the letters “EDL”, was daubed inside a shop at Lion Retail Park, on a wall in view of the Shah Jahan Mosque in Oriental Road and outside properties in Walton Road on November 12 last year.

For the Asbo breach and racially aggravated criminal damage, Gontar received a custodial sentence of 10 weeks, suspended for 12 months.

For the criminal damage she received a custodial sentence of seven weeks, suspended for 12 months, to run concurrently with the first term.

During the 12-month period, Gontar has a supervisory order in place and she is required to participate in a diversity awareness and prejudice programme.

The magistrates also ordered Gontar to pay compensation of £650 to the James Walker Group, £40 to Hobbycraft and £20 to Unit 18 Boundary Way at the hearing.

She was jointly charged with 19-year-old Laura Woodward of Addlestone.

Get Surrey

Woking People

Man who left a pigs head on the steps of a Muslim community centre spared jail.

By
July 29, 2013
community order, Racial Conviction, religiously aggravated harassment, Suspended sentence
Liam Ferrar outside Leicester Magistrates Court, where he was sentenced for leaving a pig's head on the steps of a Muslim community centre

Liam Ferrar outside Leicester Magistrates Court, where he was sentenced for leaving a pig’s head on the steps of a Muslim community centre


Liam Ferrar, 24, admitted leaving the frozen head outside a Muslim community centre in Leicester on Boxing Day last year

An office worker who left a pig’s head on the steps of a Muslim place of worship has been spared a jail sentence.

Liam Ferrar, 24, admitted leaving the frozen head outside a Muslim community centre in Leicester on Boxing Day last year, in a religiously motivated attack.

Ferrar, of Brook Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty last month to causing religiously aggravated harassment by leaving the frozen pig’s head on the steps of the city’s Thurnby Lodge Community Centre.

He was sentenced to 12 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for a year, after the court heard he had written a letter of apology to his victims and was disgusted by his actions.

Sentencing Ferrar at Leicester Magistrates’ Court, District Judge John Temperley described the offence as being “to some extent planned, premeditated and targeted”.

The district judge told Ferrar: “You were well aware of the significance of your actions.

“You knew that what you did would cause great distress, indeed that was your intention.”

The court heard that Ferrar was under the influence of alcohol when he placed the pig’s head – which had been stored in a freezer for several months – in an area where it could not be avoided by adults and children arriving for prayers.

Stressing that the offence had taken place against a background of protests at the community centre’s use as a place-of-worship, District Judge Temperley added: “It is easy to imagine the shock, distress and disgust (those who discovered the pig’s head) would have felt.

“The witnesses statements I have read bear testimony to the serious impact of your actions, but the harm you caused goes further.

“Others in the local community and beyond would also have been affected when news of this incident spread, prompting profound alarm, fear and insecurity.

“It should have been obvious that what you did was intimidatory and would only serve to enflame an already tense and volatile situation.”

Suspending the 12-week prison term because of Ferrar’s personal mitigation, including his previous good character, the district judge accepted that the defendant regularly gave his time and energy to local good causes.

District Judge Temperley told Ferrar, who was also ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid community work and pay £85 in costs: “The character references I have read do you great credit.

“I also accept that you have demonstrated genuine remorse and regret for your actions. You co-operated with the police and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.”

Louise Cox, prosecuting, told the court a group calling itself Forgotten Estates had stepped up protests at the community centre last summer.

Defence solicitor Stephen Morris said the protest group, of which Ferrar was a member, aimed to highlight the lack of facilities in the Thurnby Lodge area.

Claiming that his client had chosen to distance himself from Forgotten Estates in September last year, Mr Morris said: “The behaviour by Mr Ferrar on this occasion is out of character – he is not somebody who displays racist tendencies.”

The Independent

EDL supporter sentenced for posting offensive material on Facebook

By
July 29, 2013
EDL, English Defence League, facebook, Suspended sentence

Matthew Tyson

Matthew Tyson, 23, of Grimsby, was sentenced at Grimsby Magistrates’ Court for posting offensive material about Muslims on an English Defence League Facebook site, Tyson wrote, Grimsby Mosques “want burning down” after soldier Lee Rigby was attacked and killed by two men in Woolwich, on May 22.

The Mosque was attacked days later. Tyson was given a 12-week curfew and must stay in his home between 6am and 8pm, apart from weekends where he must stay at his girlfriend’s home while seeing his children.

His 12-week prison sentence was suspended for six months. The court also ordered the destruction of a laptop and his smart phone.

This Is Grimsby

AN anti-mosque protester avoided jail for posession of cocaine with intent to supply.

By
July 29, 2013
community order, Drugs, EDL, English Defence League, Infidels, Public order offence, Suspended sentence

AN anti-mosque protester avoided jail after he was found to be carrying cocaine following a street demonstration.

Warren Faulkner also offered to “sort out” his differences with a police officer when they clashed during the protest in Millfield, Sunderland.

Newcastle Crown Court was told Faulkner was among a group demonstrating about plans to build a mosque in St Marks Road.

The 42-year-old, of Webb Avenue, Westlea, Seaham, was then spotted by an officer in a back lane shouting “come on, come on, bring it on”.

The court heard Faulkner tried to trip up the officer, who was separating the right-wing demonstrators from the anti-fascist group. As he was being detained, Webb told the officer: “I will give you my phone number, and we can sort this out without your uniform on”.

Prosecutor Michael Bunch said: “Following this, a small packet of cocaine was found in his trouser pocket, with a street value of £34.”

Faulkner, who had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to possession of a controlled substance with intent to supply, and a public order offence, claimed he was only carrying the drug after someone asked him to keep it for them.

Vic Laffey, defending, said Faulkner had lost his job as a result of being brought before the court.

He said: “This was a straightforward agreement with the friend to keep the drugs, with no suggestion at all that he would make money or a profit from them. He intended to give the drugs back.”

Judge Simon Hickey QC sentenced Faulkner to six months in prison, suspended for 12 months. He also ordered him to do 100 hours’ unpaid work and abide by a supervision order.

Judge Hickey said: “You were there to deliberately antagonise the other group, and you offered to sort it out with him if he removed his uniform.”

The court was told Faulkner had 22 convictions, his last back in 2002.

Sunderland Echo
EDLNews