Court sentences five people as trial of UK rioters begins

Authorities in the United Kingdom have begun the trial of participants in the UK riots and some of them have been convicted, the BBC is reporting.

The riot, which broke out last week after the fatal stabbing of three young girls at a dance class in the seaside town of Southport, in the north of England, has been followed by the worst unrest the UK has seen in over a decade.

The violence in towns and cities across England and in Northern Ireland has been fuelled by misinformation online, the far-right and anti-immigration sentiment.

Communities have responded with a series of rallies against the riots, with thousands gathering on Wednesday 7 August.

As of 4:00 pm on Monday, at least 15 suspected rioters had appeared in court for trial, including a young boy and the wife of a Conservative Party councillor. At least five of the suspects have been sentenced.

PREMIUM TIMES summarizes some of the trials as reported by the BBC.

Man bags two years jail term for role in riot outside hotel

The Sheffield Crown Court sentenced a 41-year-old man identified as
Ricky Hardman to two years and eight months in prison for his role in the riot outside a Rotherham hotel where asylum seekers stay.

The judge was told that Mr Hardman was arrested by the police when a picture of him wielding a piece of wood appeared in a national newspaper on 4 August.

A clip played in court shows that the defendant was part of a group that attacked a police dog van outside the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers.

Court sentences man who punched police officers

The Bournemouth Crown Court sentenced Jason Francis to two years imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to punching a police officer at a protest in Weymouth.

The police said the 38-year-old was seen moving towards a police line pushing and kicking out at officers – before assaulting one officer in the face.

Man bags one-year jail term after barrelling into police

The Southampton Crown Court sentenced Ryan Wheatley, who “barrelled into” a police officer during a night of protests, to a jail term of one year.

Judge Christopher Parker, who presided over the case, said it was clear the 40-year-old man “intended to cause or threaten violence”.

He was reportedly arrested in Southampton on Wednesday during a riot.

Court jails man for misinforming public on Tiktok

The Nottingham Magistrates’ Court sentenced Dimitrie Stoica to three months in jail for spreading a fake narrative online during the UK riots.

Mr Stoica, 25, reportedly said on a live-streamed TikTok video that he was “running for his life” from rioters in Derby.

He had been broadcasting to about 700 followers as he walked around the city on Wednesday – when there was high tension in the area, telling his viewers that he was being chased by “extreme right-wing rioters” and that he was in fear for his life.

During his appearance in court, Mr Stoica admitted to sending a false communication with intent to cause harm.

Man jailed for making offensive statement at police

Thomas Rogers, a man who threw a vacuum cleaner through a house window and made an offensive statement to a police officer, has been sentenced to two years and two months in prison.

This newspaper learnt that this happened after he pleaded guilty to violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon after he was seen throwing bricks at police in Middlesbrough on 4 August.

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Young boy admits to throwing object during unrest

The Liverpool Youth Court has released on bail a 12-year-old boy after admitting to throwing an object at police officers on 30 July during the Southport unrest.

The unnamed boy, the youngest person appearing in the court in regard to the riots, was shown on CCTV tossing the object during the violent disruption before pedalling off on a bicycle. He pleaded guilty.

In its ruling, the court proclaimed that the child was set free on bond but with the stipulation that he not go near St Luke’s Road in Southport, the scene of the disturbance ahead of the 17 September sentencing.