A THUG who threw missiles at police officers during a riot in Bristol has avoided going to jail.
Andrew Heath was a “main offender” in a group which caused chaos in Castle Park and on Bristol Bridge in August, a court was told.
The 51-year-old from Caldicot had previously pleaded guilty to violent disorder.
Avon and Somerset Police said he threw missiles towards officers.
He was jailed for two years but the sentence was suspended for 18 months at Bristol Crown Court on December 18.
A total of 29 people have been convicted with violent disorder across the police force areas of Northumbria, Durham and Cleveland
These are the faces of all those convicted in relation to violent riots which have taken place across the North East.
Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and Darlington have all witnessed scenes of shocking violence as riots spread across the nation following the Southport attack in which three young girls were fatally stabbed. North East courts were busy as the first rioters appeared.
Kieran Usher, from Sunderland, became the first person in the country to be convicted of riot and was handed a four year and four month prison sentence.
According to the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) more than 1,000 people have been arrested over rioting across the UK, with more than 370 of those being charged. Specialist officers are continuing to pursue online influencers who “stoked the flames of hatred and division and incited violence”.
Between 30 July and 7 August 2024, an estimated 29 anti-immigration demonstrations and riots took place across 27 towns and cities in the UK. Many of these were violent, with participants attacking mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers. Known far-right activists promoted and attended the riots.
Police acted quickly to identify those involved, while some people were arrested during the riots, the majority were arrested afterwards.
According to the UK Parliament website, the police reportedly compiled video evidence through a range of tactics, which include gathering body worn camera footage, social media footage, CCTV and video doorbells.
Additional footage was also captured using drones and helicopters, while evidence-gathering teams were deployed during the protest and were tasked with capturing video evidence on the ground.
Here is a round-up of rioters who have appeared before the North East courts.
Kieran Usher
Kieran Usher became the first person in the country to be convicted of riot following the disorder across the UK. After a hearing at Newcastle Crown Court on September 13, Christopher Atkinson, head of the complex casework Unit for CPS North East, said: “It is clear from the evidence in this case that Usher played an active role in the mob violence that unfolded on the streets of Sunderland.
“He was filmed working with a group of at least twenty other people to rain missiles onto attending police officers. The co-ordinated and unlawful violence carried out by the group in this incident, the severity of which forced police to temporarily retreat from the assault, made a charge of riot wholly appropriate in this case. The events of that evening also created immeasurable fear for Sunderland residents, with significant damage caused to local businesses.
“We would like to praise the response of Northumbria Police, who effectively tackled the immediate situation, while also securing key evidence to help us build robust cases against the perpetrators of this violence. “The Crown Prosecution Service will continue to work alongside our criminal justice partners to ensure that anyone threatening the communities we serve are swiftly brought to justice for their actions.” Usher, 32, of Bramwell Road, Hendon, Sunderland, was sentenced to four years and four months’ imprisonment.
Shaun Doran
Shirtless and with England flag in hand, this is Sunderland rioter John Kirtley taking part in the violent protests that brought shame on his own city.
Daniel Robins was riding around on his bike in the thick of the Hartlepool riots, shouting at the police and hitting windows with a stick
A 23-year-old cyclist involved in the riots has walked out of court.
Daniel Robins waved a stick around and hit the windows of premises on Lothian Road, in Hartlepool, on July 31, as violence erupted around him. He was captured on CCTV giving a rock to another rioter.
Teesside Crown Court has heard that Robins has been anxious about going to prison after he pleaded guilty to violent disorder, six weeks ago. On Monday, the court heard that Robins went to a special needs school and left without gaining any qualifications.
He lives with his mum, and a psychologist’s report found that he has “learning issues”, although he has not been formally diagnosed. Robins’ barrister Stephen Constantine told the court that his client’s mother has been “fighting tooth and nail to get assistance” for her son.
“He hit windows with the stick and can be seen riding around,” Mr Constantine said, “he has an inability to recognise the consequences of his actions.”
Judge Richard Bennett told Robins that he seems to have gone to the riots “out of an immature wish to be involved – it appeared exciting”. The Middlesbrough court heard that Robins would be “highly vulnerable in the prison environment”.
“People are entitled to protest freely and air their views, but you were not involved in a peaceful protest,” the judge continued. “You had been drinking when you noticed the disorder that night. Your mother is in the public gallery to support you, as she has done throughout your life.”
Robins, of Catcote Road in Hartlepool, was handed a 16-month prison term, suspended for two-years. He must attend 30 rehabilitation days and take part in an alcohol abstinence programme, which is electronically monitored, for 120-days.
Harry Waugh charged towards officers and was caught hitting another man in Middlesbrough
A thug who hurled missiles at police in Middlesbrough during the summer riots has been jailed.
Stockton’s Harry Waugh was caught on numerous CCTV footages taking part in the disorder that occurred in the summer across the UK. The 26-year-old can be seen charging towards a line of officers, shouting abuse, pointing aggressively and throwing items at them while they tried to protect themselves with a shield.
He then walked away after a rock thrown by another individual involved in the disorder hit him in the face before returning to shout further abuse at police. Waugh was then captured hitting another man when a fight broke out at a nearby park.
Following information provided to the Operation Acorn investigation team, Waugh, of Plumer Drive in Stockton, was arrested and subsequently charged in connection with violent disorder.
He appeared at Teesside Crown Court on Wednesday, December 18 Waugh and was jailed for 30 months.
A man who was involved in the violent disorder in Southport and featured in viral social media footage has been jailed for two years and six months.
Brian Spencer, 40, of Lytham Road, in Southport, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today, Monday 23 December, after he pleaded guilty to violent disorder.
He was also jailed after admitting racially/religiously aggravated harassment, which relates to a separate incident the following day at Southport Hospital when he verbally abused another patient when receiving treatment for the injuries he sustained during the disorder.
The injuries he sustained were captured on mobile phone footage and subsequently shared widely on social media after some wayward missiles hit him on the head and groin during the appalling scenes in Southport on Tuesday 30 July.
Officers received hundreds of hours worth of CCTV and mobile phone footage, which they are still working through, and Spencer was clearly identified.
Spencer could be seen acting in an aggressive manner and part of a large group of people who were standing only a few yards in front of officers and throwing bricks.
He could also be seen on footage punching a police vehicle several times and picking up and throwing wheelie bins at officers and carriers.
Later that evening, officers were called to a separate incident where Spencer was in attendance, and took him to hospital for treatment to the head injury he had sustained during the disorder.
The officers recognised him from the viral social media footage and he was arrested. It was while receiving treatment for his injury that Spencer racially abused another patient.
Detective Inspector Paula Jones said: “The actions of the people who took part in the disorder was extremely serious and many officers were injured during the despicable scenes as bricks, bins and other missiles were thrown at them. Spencer was involved in the violence and will now spend a significant amount of time in prison.”
“We continue to review footage and information as it comes in, and we will not stop until we’ve put everyone we possibly can before the courts.”
The total number of people arrested by Merseyside Police has now reached 163, with 117 charged and 88 sentenced to 182 years and four months.
Images and footage are still being worked through so please contact us with any information by calling 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
A rioting thug who went viral after being hit in the head and groin by flying house bricks was today jailed for two-and-half years.
Brian Spencer, 40, sank ten pints and a litre of rum before taunting police during violence which erupted in the wake of the Southport stabbings.
He was twice struck in the face and head after gyrating in front of officers, before turning around and being hit for a third time in the crotch. Spencer, who admitted violent disorder, also racially-abused a Polish patient at the town’s hospital while awaiting treatment for his injuries.
Liverpool Crown Court heard how painter-decorator Spencer was at the centre of riots in the seaside town on July 30, a day after three children were stabbed to death at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.
In footage which quickly swept across social media, he was filmed swinging his hips and dancing in front of a line of police officers in a bid to goad them.
A previous judge described Spencer’s dancing as delivering his “best Mick Jagger impression”.
But as the father-of-four attempted to provoke a reaction, a large brick bounced off a riot shield into his face, while another hit the back of his head.
As Spencer walked away, rubbing the back of his head, another block struck him in the groin causing him to double over in agony.
Jailing him, Judge Katherine Pierpoint said Spencer hurled wheelie-bins at police cars and was caught on camera “cheering”, “bouncing around” and “enjoying the chaos”.
She said: “You were an enthusiastic and active participant, positioning yourself at the front of the mob. At times bouncing around, encouraging others and clearly enjoying the chaos and harm that you and other like-minded thugs were creating.
“You are able to be seen on the footage until it comes to an end. You antagonised the police, you were shouting, cheering and dancing around in the street.
“The reason why you were struck is because you were at the front of the mob. The mobile footage of you being struck has been widely spread.”
The court heard how Spencer acted like a “general” in the mass disorder outside a mosque in Southport, hours after a peaceful vigil had been held to mourn those killed and injured a day earlier.
Footage was played in court of bare-chested Spencer hurling a wheelie-bin at a reversing police car and hoisting another bin above his head.
He was seen encouraging other rioters to push forward towards police riot lines and seen dancing as objects were hurled at officers.
Alaric Walmsley, prosecuting, said: “He was leading from the front. He was acting like a general, supporting and cheerleading as well as using weapons. “He can be seen taunting the police.”
Mr Walmsley added: “There’s video of the defendant being stuck to the head with a brick and then in the groin, which went viral at the time, which was shared on social media.”
Spencer was taken to hospital for treatment after police were called to his brother’s home in Southport.
He was put in a cubicle to sleep off his intoxication but racially abused a Polish-speaking patient and a hospital cleaner when he awoke, telling them: “Get out of our country, you don’t belong here.”
Judge Pierpoint said: “Despite you being injured as a result of unlawful activity, the police were there to help you. They put you in an ambulance, the ambulance took you to hospital and you were in the process of being treated by staff there.
“Despite all of this and the help you were being given, you racially-abused another patient, all in the hearing of other patients and staff members.”
Violence erupted across the country after three young girls were killed at the children’s dance event in Southport, fuelled by speculation and misinformation online.
Around 1,000 rioters took to the streets in the Merseyside town barely an hour after the community had gathered to remember Alice Aguiar, 9, Bebe King, 6, and Elsie Stancombe, 7.
More than 50 police officers were injured, with riot shields stolen and police vehicles looted and set ablaze.
In interview, Spencer denied rioting and claimed he had been trying to stop others from attacking the police.
But he later admitted his account was untrue, telling officers what he had done was “naughty”. Spencer, who has 12 previous convictions for 22 offences, said he had drunk 10 pints and a litre of rum before marching to the mosque.
He told officers: “I just apologise again. It’s honestly not me, that. I honestly can’t apologise enough.” Charles Lander, defending, said Spencer “wished to apologise” to the victims of the Southport knife attack and the police.
He said: “Alcohol intoxication is no excuse but one only has to watch the video of those horrifying events to see how drunk he was.
“He went viral because of his drunkenness, that he himself was hit. It shows the drunken state he was in.”
Spencer, of Southport, who admitted violent disorder and racially-aggravated harassment, was supported in court by friends and family.
The court heard that he was already subject to the terms of an 18-month community order after kicking a police officer while drunk in December 2023.
Judge Pierpoint told him: “You do, now, in the cold, sober light of day express real remorse and regret for what you got involved in.
“Not only are you sorry for what you did towards others but you’re also embarrassed about your role in this, not least because your involvement in this has been widely shared on social media.
She added: “While drink may go some way to explain your behaviour, it is not an excuse.”
Axel Rudakubana, 18, from Banks, Lancashire, has been charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder over the attack at the Hart Space centre in Southport. He is also charged with producing the toxin ricin and possessing an Al-Qaeda terrorism manual and faces a trial next year.
Daily Mirror
A boy who threw a traffic cone at a police car during this summer’s rioting told a judge he will “never be bad again” as tears streamed down his face while he was given a 12-month youth referral order.
The 13-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was also caught on CCTV wielding a hammer in Hull city centre on 3 August.
At Hull Magistrates’ Court earlier, which was sitting as a youth court, the teenager, flanked by his parents, admitted violent disorder through floods of tears while being comforted by his mother.
During the plea hearing, Judge Mark Daley accepted the boy had not intended to cause trouble.
Violence flared in several towns and cities across England following the fatal stabbing of three young girls at a dance class in Southport, Merseyside, on 29 July.
In Hull, a hotel was targeted, police officers were attacked with missiles, shops looted and cars were damaged and set alight as a demonstration descended into chaotic unrest.
Prosecutor Emily Robinson told the court the boy was present with a large group and had thrown the traffic cone at the police car, which was parked on Ferensway, and landed just short of hitting the vehicle.
In footage played to the court, the youngster was seen walking through a crowd of people with the cone before hurling it. The mob, which included John Honey, who was jailed for his part in the riot, was repeatedly attacking the vehicle.
The judge heard the 13-year-old saw a hammer on the bench and picked it up “not knowing what to do with it”.
Mitigating, solicitor Craig Davie said his client had not threatened anyone with it and was incredibly remorseful about his actions.
He said the boy had played a small role and accepted he should not have taken part.
Mr Davie added: “At the time he didn’t think of the consequences but only afterwards did he realise how serious it was and the impact of it.
“He attended town with a friend and it took him by surprise. He allowed himself to get involved.”
‘Kick up bum’
Mr Davie said the boy’s actions had left him fearful of the impact on his future.
Handing the referral order, Judge Daley explained to the boy why he decided not to jail him.
“A lot of people went into town to cause trouble but I don’t think you were one of them,” he said.
Just before the sentence was passed, the boy’s father told the judge: “This has given him a kick up the bum.”
“I’m never gonna do anything bad again,” added the child, while wiping his tearful face.
A rioter wielded what looked like a “tripod” and made threating “cutthroat” gestures as disorder gripped the town centre last summer.
Joseph Bigland, 43, had been living in Bolton town centre while homeless as violence whipped across the country after the tragic killings of three children in Southport last July.
Bolton Crown Court heard how two rival groups of protesters and counter-protesters had faced off against each other as police kept them apart on Sunday August 4.
Judge Jon Close said: “Many of the protests were at best misguided and utterly unjustifiable.”
Addressing Bigland, he added: “Unusually you had not travelled to the scene of the protest because you at the time were street homeless living in the area the protest took place.”
But he said that Bigland was caught on CCTV making threats of violence and “comments of a racial nature” toward the counter-protesters.
Judge Close said: “While shouting that racial abuse you were in possession of what appeared to be a tripod and were making a cutthroat gesture towards the counter protesters.”
A previous court hearing had been shown videos by prosecutor Philip Hall which caught Bigland holding “two pieces of wood”, making threating comments and making the cut-throat gesture.
Bigland, who has 36 previous convictions for 47 offences, pleaded guilty to violent disorder after being arrested.
He looked on via videolink from prison as the court heard about the wider impact the disorder had had on the country.
Staff and shoppers at town centre businesses had been scared while bystanders had often been trapped inside premises as the violent scenes unfolded.
Judge Close said that this was “disorder and division that pulls at the very threads of our civilised society.”
He added: “Fortunately Bolton was not as battle scarred as other areas in the North West.”
At a previous hearing Anthony Horsefall, defending, had argued Bigland, of Bradford Street, had played a “peripheral” role in the disorder.
Taking up the defence at the final sentencing hearing Mark Friend reminded the court that Bigland had not sought out the disorder but had simply been living in the town at the time.
He said that the 43-year-old had “struggled with a variety of issues and vulnerabilities” and had lived a “difficult and at times isolated existence.”
Judge Close jailed Bigland for two years.
Scott Leach was verbally abusive towards police officers
A Keynsham man involved in ‘disgraceful behaviour’ has become the 36th person to be sentenced for their involvement in the Bristol riot.
Scott Leach, 55, was verbally abusive towards police officers and pushed a member of the public off their bike on Saturday, August 3, when violent disorder broke out in the city.
Leach was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday, December 5. He was sentenced to 20 months in prison, suspended for two years. He walked free from court after pleading guilty after having been charged with violent disorder and assault by beating.
Detective Chief Inspector Tom Herbert said: “Scott Leach was among a significant number of people who contributed to the disgraceful behaviour we saw on that day. It is right that he has appeared before the court as a result and been sentenced, having admitted his part.”
Custodial sentences totalling more than 50 years have been handed down to 36 people for their involvement in the riot
Detectives have arrested and charged more people in connection with Violent Disorder in Southport in July.
A 13-year-old boy from Rock Ferry was arrested yesterday on suspicion of Violent Disorder in Liverpool, after reportedly throwing missiles at officers. He has been conditionally bailed.
A 16-year-old boy from Old Swan was charged with Violent Disorder in Liverpool. He will appear at Liverpool Youth Court on Tuesday 7 January 2025.
A 20-year-old man from Wigan arrested yesterday on suspicion of Violent Disorder has been conditionally bailed.
A 16-year-old boy from New Brighton appeared at Liverpool Youth Court yesterday, and received a 12 month Intensive Referral Order, which includes an Education & Better Choices Programme and instructed to pay £300 in compensation.
Detective Chief Inspector Tony Roberts said: “These latest outcomes demonstrate our determination to put before the courts all of those who brought shame to the region over the summer, many of who travelled to Merseyside from other areas.
“We continue to review footage and information as it comes in, and we will not stop until we’ve put everyone we possibly can before the courts.”
The total number of people arrested by Merseyside Police has now reached 159, with 112 charged and 86 sentenced to 178 years and 10 months.
Images and footage are still being worked through so please contact us with any information via our Public Portal, 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Current galleries of people we would like to speak to can be found on our X and Facebook pages, and on our force website News | Merseyside Police.
Far-Right Criminals 