Rioter first to be jailed on violent disorder charge after nationwide unrest

A rioter has become the first person to receive a prison sentence on a violent disorder charge following nationwide unrest after being jailed for three years for his part in violence in Southport.

Derek Drummond, 58, was part of the disorder in the Merseyside town on July 30 following a fatal knife attack on three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club.

He was one of three men to be jailed at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday – alongside Declan Geiran and Liam James Riley who were sentenced to 30 months and 20 months in prison respectively after also admitting violent disorder following riots in Liverpool city centre.

The court heard bodyworn footage of Pc Thomas Ball showed the defendant approach the riot cordon line and say “shithouses, shithouses”.

Drummond was told to go back and he then punched Pc Ball in the face.

Following a public appeal the defendant handed himself into police and said he was “a fool”.

Referring to the disturbances near to Southport Mosque on July 30 Honorary Recorder of Liverpool, Judge Andrew Menary KC said: “The genuine and collective grief of the residents of Southport was effectively hijacked by this callous behaviour.”

Riley, of Walton Road, Kirkdale, Liverpool, and Geiran, of Kelso Road, Liverpool, also pleaded guilty to violent disorder, with Geiran also admitting to arson of a police vehicle.

Commenting on the sentences for the trio, senior district crown prosecutor Jonathan Egan said: “The three men sentenced today are the tip of the iceberg, and just the start of what will be a very painful process for many who foolishly chose to involve themselves in violent unrest.

“Many of those involved will be sent to prison for a long time.”

Further suspects are set to appear in court in connection with widespread violent disorder including two people facing a charge of stirring up racial hatred.

Aaron Johnson admitted using racist language on a live stream he broadcast to “millions of people” from outside a hotel in Stockport thought to contain asylum seekers at Manchester Magistrates’ Court.

Prosecutor Laura Peers said Johnson “became aggressive to members of staff” at the hotel, adding that he told them “he would smash their face in”.

Six other men appeared at the same court accused of violent disorder after rioting in the Piccadilly Gardens area of the city centre on Saturday August 4.

Liam Ryan, 28, cried in court as he pleaded guilty to the charge after he had travelled from West Yorkshire to take part in the violence.

Ms Peers said social media footage showed “a black male being confronted by a large group of white males”, adding that Ryan had “played an active role in the disorder” and could be seen “aiming a punch towards the male involved”.

Shaun Holt, 42, David Green, 41, and Andrew Phillips, 27, were not required to enter a plea to the same charge after the Piccadilly Gardens disorder.

Matthew Wilson, 31, repeatedly punched the glass of the dock, shouted obscenities and put his middle finger up at a judge as he denied racially aggravated assault and public order offences.

He appeared alongside Alex Fraser, 20, who denied the same charge after they allegedly made racist comments and “randomly” attacked an Asian man in Manchester city centre on Monday.

Julie Sweeney, 53, appeared at Warrington Magistrates’ Court but was not required to enter a plea, after being charged with publishing written material to stir up racial hatred.

She is accused of allegedly posting a threatening message suggesting to “blow up a mosque with adults inside”, a court official said.

Court papers allege that on Saturday, at Church Lawton, the defendant “sent a message that conveyed a threat of death or serious harm, namely, suggesting to ‘blow up a mosque with adults inside’, intending, or being reckless as to whether, an individual encountering the message would fear that the threat would be carried out”.

In Plymouth, five people have appeared in court charged with violent disorder following a protest in the port city on Monday night which saw police officers injured and two members of the public taken to hospital.

A 17-year-old boy admitted throwing a traffic cone and a rock towards a large group of protesters, Daniel McGuire, 45, pleaded guilty after “spitting on officers and shields” despite being told to stop, and Michael Williams, 51, was seen kicking another man during the disorder.

Plymouth Magistrates’ Court heard a fourth man, Lucas Ormond Skeaping, 29, pushed a 17-year-old off his bike and was caught on his own GoPro camera throwing a full bottle of coke and a rock” towards protesters as he also pleaded guilty to violent disorder.

A number of suspected rioters appeared before a district judge at Teesside Magistrates’ Court.

Charlie Bullock, 21, was described as “the main instigator” of a large group pushing against a police line during riots in Middlesbrough, as he admitted throwing stones and rocks at officers.

Cole Stewart, 18, who was seen “celebrating” after throwing an object which hit a police officer during riots in Darlington, Co Durham, also pleaded guilty to violent disorder at the same court.

Heather Blair, prosecuting, said an officer “felt a sharp blow to his wrist” from an object believed to be thrown by Stewart, who was then seen “celebrating with his arms in the air”.

Brandon Welch, 18, who is accused of using racist language and encouraging people to smash up property while live-streaming the Darlington riot on TikTok, did not enter a plea to a charge of violent disorder.

Teesside Magistrates’ Court also saw the case of Mark Crozier, 38, the father of a four-year-old girl, who was not required to enter a plea after he was charged with violent disorder.

Ms Blair said Crozier was allegedly seen during the disorder on July 31 leading chants of “Tommy Robinson”, “we’re taking our country back” and “dirty f****** Muslims”.

Leah Lee, 19, denied a charge of violent disorder in the same court after being accused of setting a wheelie bin on fire in a County Durham town before smashing the window of a pizzeria and racially abusing the occupants.

Anthony Calvert, 29, also denied violent disorder after allegedly being seen “milling around” and watching a boy set a police car on fire during riots in Hartlepool.

Elsewhere, a man has been pleaded not guilty to possessing a wooden stick as a weapon during a gathering in Birmingham.

TV coverage of the large gathering on Monday night led to claims on social media that someone was armed with a sword near a roundabout in the Bordesley Green area of Birmingham.

A number of counter-protesters gathered in the area after social media rumours of a far-right march being staged there.

Shehraz Sarwar from Birmingham was arrested and charged by West Midlands Police following the incident on Monday but said he had a “reasonable excuse” to carry the item as a religious staff.

Court documents released ahead of his appearance state that he is alleged to have possessed an offensive weapon – “namely a wooden stick with a cord wrapped around it” – in the Belchers Lane area.

Also in the West Midlands, Davina O’Shaughnessy, 45, of Sandwell, will appear at Wolverhampton Magistrates’ Court charged with racially/religiously aggravated harassment, the CPS said.

A 16-year-old boy, of no registered address, will appear in Newcastle-under-Lyme Magistrates’ Court in Stoke-on-Trent charged with violent disorder and assaulting an emergency worker.

Steven Hall, 60, appeared at Chester Magistrates’ Court to face charges of racially aggravated harassment, using threatening and insulting language with intent to cause alarm & distress and causing a nuisance at an NHS premises.

Hall was arrested on Wednesday following two incidents at the Countess of Chester Hospital which occurred on Tuesday and last Wednesday.

Two teenagers are due to appear in youth court in Sheffield in connection with riots outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham.

They follow the case of self-employed builder Joshua Simpson, who became the first person to be convicted following rioting outside the hotel after he admitted assaulting a police officer.

Also in Sheffield, Jake Turton, 38, of Barnsley, appeared at the city’s magistrates’ court where he denied violent disorder and driving a motor vehicle without its owner’s consent.

The court appearances come as police remain braced for planned unrest by “hateful and divisive groups” as they monitor reports of at least 30 possible gatherings and threats against immigration law specialists.