Pro boxer jailed for part in rioting outside hotel housing asylum seekers

A barrister representing a former professional boxer who was part of a mob which attacked a police van outside a hotel housing asylum seekers has told a judge it is “just bizarre” to everyone who knows him that he got involved in the violence.

Doncaster-based Luke Crowcroft, 30, was jailed for two years and six months at Sheffield Crown Court on Monday by a judge who heard how he was part of a group which tried to overturn a police van outside the Holiday Inn Express, in Manvers, Rotherham, on August 4, leaving those inside terrified.

Ed Moss, defending, told the court how Crowcroft was a successful boxer from an early age, represented his country as an amateur and later became the youngest professional.

Mr Moss said: “It is simply not in his nature. It is just bizarre to everyone who knows him why he was there and doing what he did.

“Out of character simply doesn’t do it justice”.

Mr Moss said Crowcroft was devoted to the 15-year-old son of his partner, who has a number of problems, and the defendant is a key part of his care.

He said: “He wishes me, on his behalf, to apologise to everybody – to the court, to the police, to his own family.”

Judge Sarah Wright was shown video footage of how the police dog van was violently rocked by a group outside the hotel.

The incident was part of wider rioting outside the hotel which left 64 officers, three police dogs and a horse injured.

There were 240 asylum seekers in hotel, which protesters tried to set on fire, and the court has heard how staff barricaded themselves in the kitchen with freezers, fearing they would die.

According to boxing data available on the internet, middleweight Crowcroft was nicknamed The Beast and had 14 bouts, with 11 wins.

He turned professional in 2012 and his last fight was in 2018.

Crowcroft, of Danesway, Scawthorpe, Doncaster, admitted violent disorder at a previous hearing.

Judge Wright also jailed 19-year-old Ashley Lowe on Monday after she heard how he took part in various aspects of the disorder, including entering the hotel building after a fire door had been smashed-in.

The court heard how Lowe, who was 18 at the time, was first caught on camera pulling down fencing which was then used by the mob to throw at police and fuel the fire in a bin outside the fire door.

He was then seen going into the hotel for a short period before confronting officers outside as they came under a barrage of missiles.

In one piece of footage Lowe, of North Street, Darfield, is heard shouting “Oi! Charge!”.

Clarkson Baptiste, defending, told the judge: “He said he went along because there was nothing else to do.

“There was no reason for him to be there. It was the biggest mistake he’s made in his life.”

Lowe was jailed for two years and two months.

Roofer Ben Beardsley, 38, of Hall Gate, Mexborough, was jailed for two years and eights months after Judge Wright watched footage of him in the crowd wearing a Guy Fawkes mask and throwing a missile at officers.

Mr Baptiste, this time defending father-of-two Beardsley, said: “He doesn’t have any political or racist views whatsoever.

“He got caught up in what was going on. He was throwing items that were handed to him.”

Mr Baptiste said he did not bring the mask to the hotel but put it on when someone gave it to him.

The barrister also pointed to the beer bottle his client was seen holding in the footage and said his consumption of alcohol was a contributing factor.

Joshua Webb, 21, of Hartington Close, Holmes, Rotherham, was jailed for two years and six months after Judge Wright was shown video of him throwing a number of missiles, including a large piece of wood, at riot officers.

The court heard this incident was much later in the day, after more police had arrived and pushed those taking part back along Manvers Way.

Dermot Hughes, defending, said: “He was driven by idiocy not racism, by stupidity not ideology.”

The barrister said: “He is not a racist. He bears no ill will to members of a minority group nor does he have any political leanings.”

He said his client saw what was happening on the news and and went along “out of a sense of curiosity”.

Mr Hughes said only someone “as idiotic as him” would have turned up in the very distinctive clothing he was wearing which meant he was easily identified by the police investigating the disorder.

Lowe, Webb and Beardsley admitted violent disorder at previous hearings.

Scott Greenwood, 34, of Tingle Bridge Lane, Hemingfield, also appeared at Sheffield Crown Court where admitted a charge of violent disorder and arson being reckless as to whether life was endanger.

Greenwood denied a more serious charge of arson with intent to endanger life, but prosecutor Stephanie Hollis said his plea to the lesser charge was acceptable.

Ms Hollis said the arson involved setting fire to a disused generator and fence panels in the hotel car park and was not linked to the fire set in the bin against the hotel door.

Greenwood was remanded in custody ahead of his sentencing at the same court on October 16.

Judge Wright ordered him to leave the dock during the hearing after he continually questioned her and tried to talk to supporters in the public gallery.