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Tag Archives: violent disorder

Man photographed with stick moments before attack on Kingston Mosque is spared jail

By
July 18, 2013
criminal damage, Fined, Jailed, Public order offence, Racial Conviction, religiously-aggravated offence, Suspended sentence
Henry Hunter

Henry Hunter

A teenager found guilty of violent disorder following an attack on Kingston Mosque has been spared jail.

Henry Hunter, 19, was convicted last month after a gang of young men laid siege to a mosque in East Road, having previously attended a protest march against Muslim extremism, in November 2010.

But he was acquitted of racially aggravated criminal damage.

At Kingston Crown Court this morning, Hunter, from Ashford in Middlesex, was sentenced to six months at a young offenders’ institute, suspended for 12 months.

He was fined £1,000, given 250 hours of unpaid work, and handed a four month curfew order banning him from leaving his home on Saturday, Sunday and Monday nights.

Hunter was also given an exclusion order banning him from Kingston town centre for a year.

Before the sentence was passed, Hunter’s solicitor Michael Green told Recorder Roderick Fletcher that Hunter was a young man of previous good character who had not been in trouble before or after the mosque attack.

Mr Green said Hunter’s attitude had changed considerably in the two years since the attack, and he was now also holding down a job as a fork lift truck driver.

He contrasted Hunter’s police record with those of Martin Pottle and Alfie Wallace, who, along with David Morris, were all jailed for the attack in April.

Mr Green said Pottle had four previous public order offences and had been sentenced to six months in prison for affray in 2010.

Wallace had convictions for violence, robbery, criminal damage, assaulting a police officer and racially aggravated offences.

Mr Green also pointed to the fact Hunter handed himself into the police voluntarily, after his picture appeared on the front page of the Surrey Comet in the wake of the convictions of Pottle, Wallace and Morris.

Mr Green said: “This is a young man who handed himself into a police station after his picture was published in the Surrey Comet on the same day.

“His attitudes have changed considerably, his personal circumstances have changed considerably.

“He hopes to be given the opportunity to carry on working. Things have changed in terms of his employment, and in terms of his attitude.

“There are no new offences. The author of the pre-sentence report has spoken to the police and there is no suggestion he has been involved in any previous activity.”

Sentencing Hunter, Recorder Fletcher said: “You surrendered voluntarily to the police, you are currently in employment and you have a stable home environment.

“You’ve made important changes to your lifestyle and attitude in the past two years.”

“I’ve felt able to take a different course in your case to the course taken regarding Mr Pottle and Mr Wallace.

“Mr Pottle was substantially older than you, and Mr Wallace was marginally older than you.

“Both were convicted of two offences – violent disorder and religiously aggravated damage to property and both had relevant previous convictions.

“In these circumstances I’ve taken what could be considered as an unusual course in relation to your sentence.”

Surrey Comet

Redbridge mosque attackers jailed by judge

By
July 18, 2013
Jailed, violent disorder

Four thugs who smashed up a Redbridge mosque before hurling a brick at the imam have been jailed for a total of 12-and-a-half years today.

The gang shattered the windows of Redbridge Islamic Centre, Eastern Avenue, before trying to storm their way inside while taunting worshippers with sickening chants.

Rocky Beale, 19, of Purleigh Avenue, Woodford Green and Eliot Jones, 19, of Keswick Gardens, Redbridge, pelted the centre with bricks, along with 18-year-old Matthew Stephenson, of Burrow Road, Hainault.

Harry Deluca, 16, whose name can now be revealed after an order was lifted by the judge, also pelted the centre and repeatedly screamed “EDL” throughout the assault on March 24.

All four denied violent disorder but were convicted by a jury last month after just 90 minutes of deliberation.

 Judge Timothy King sentenced Beale, Jones and Stephenson to three-and-a-half years each in a young offenders’ institution during yesterday’s (Wednesday’s) hearing at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

Deluca, of Manford Way, Hainault was given a two-year detention and training order.

The judge told them: “It is difficult, it seems to me, to imagine a case of violent disorder more serious than this one.”

Cllr Shoaib Patel, cabinet member for community safety on Redbridge Council, told the Recorder: “I am delighted with the result and it is great news for all the people that suffered because of the attack.

“It shows that Redbridge will not tolerate racial abuse after the community has worked hard to promote strong cohesion.”

London 24

Gang Jailed Following Disorder in Kirklees.

By
July 18, 2013
EDL, English Defence League, Jailed, Racial Conviction, racially-aggravated common assault, Racist Abuse

Six West Yorkshire men and one youth have today been sentenced at Leeds Crown Court following a demonstration and disorder in Cleckheaton, Dewsbury and Heckmondwike in March last year.

The defendants from Bradford pleaded guilty to the charges made against them and will spend more than six years behind bars for the roles they played on the day.

Kevin Angelo Docherty (29) of Grisedale Close, admitted charges of violent disorder and racially aggravated criminal damage and was jailed for 14 months. Robert Adrian Collington (27) of Bedivere Road and Mark Peel (24) of Bolton Hall Road were given 12 months each for violent disorder, while David Kenneth Lawler (30) of Bradford Road, Shipley, was given a 13-month sentence for the same offence.

Also jailed for violent disorder was Ben Phelps (19), who received 10 months, while Steven Philip Woodhead (33) of Heysham Drive was given four months for racially aggravated common assault. A 17-year-old youth who cannot be named received a 12-month youth rehabilitation order.

On the afternoon of Saturday 17 March the English Defence League took part in a peaceful, pre-planned demonstration in Cleckheaton Town Centre. After two hours the group of around 60 people dispersed and a number of men made their way to various locations around Kirklees purporting to be part of the EDL displaying posters and flags as well as shouting abuse at members of the public.

Shortly after the demonstration concluded police responded to reports that a window at the Co-Op Travel Agents on Northgate in Heckmondwike had been smashed, then at around 4pm police received reports of disorder in Dewsbury Town Centre on Northgate and Corporation Street.

Two Asian men travelling in a Vauxhall Corsa were approached on Northgate when stopped at traffic lights and were racially abused. They were spat at as well as their car being damaged after a drink was thrown.

A group of men in Corporation Street had also racially abused and assaulted a 35-year-old Asian man. They knocked him to the floor leaving him with a black eye and bruising to his ribs. He received hospital treatment for his injuries.

Detective Inspector Andy Leonard said: “We welcome the sentences passed today and hope they serve as a warning to those who think its acceptable to abuse people because of the colour of their skin or their religious beliefs and also cause mindless damage.

“We support the right to a peaceful protest however this is an example of when we have had to take positive action against the minority who abuse this.

“These incidents cause fear and concern for innocent members of the public caught up in them and we will simply not tolerate such behaviour.

“Kirklees Division embarked upon a painstaking investigation in order to ensure those responsible were brought to justice and all this hard work has resulted in the sentences imposed by the Courts today.

“We would like to thank the many members of the public who have assisted with this investigation which underlines our ongoing commitment to ensuring the safety of the public in Kirklees.”

West Yorkshire Police

Dewsbury Reporter