A Swindon man involved in a violent riot against police by the English Defence League has been jailed – but received a shorter sentence than the others because he has since quit the controversial far right group.

Thomas Flynn confronted police officers and forced them to push him away with riot shields during the disorder when EDL supporters from all over the country descended on Birmingham for a protest march through the city centre.

Sentencing of the eight men convicted of violent disorder was temporarily halted after one of them demanded to be updated on the Sydney café siege.

The judge, Richard Bond, adjourned the case after being verbally abused, urged to “pass proper sentences” on Islamic extremists, and asked: “Any news on the Australian hostages?”

Some of the defendants walked around the dock at Birmingham Crown Court during the outbursts, which also included chants of “No surrender to the Taliban.”

Judge Bond had already sentenced three of the men when one of them shouted “If there were proper sentences for extremists, the EDL wouldn’t be here” and another asked for news of events in Australia.

The judge then left the court-room for several minutes, before returning to continue to address the defendants and explain their sentences.

Jailing others for 18 months or two years, he gave Flynn, a 22-year-old from Grange Drive in Swindon, just 14 months after hearing that he now helped out at a respite centre and had since disassociated himself from the EDL.

Among the others in the dock over violent scenes at an EDL rally in Birmingham city centre was Otis Bloodworth, who attended the protest event in July 2013 wearing Union Jack boxing gloves and shorts.

CCTV footage played to the court showed Bloodworth, of Drummond Road, Skegness, Lincolnshire, punching a man who was being led away from the event by stewards.

The 35-year-old, who has 43 previous convictions dating back to 1997, was arrested and taken to a police station in March after an appeal for information on the BBC’s Crimewatch programme.

When questioned by officers as to whether he had any medical conditions, Bloodworth said he had ‘Islamophobia’ and refused to be represented by a Muslim solicitor.

Bloodworth was jailed for 18 months alongside Benjamin Crowder, who was celebrating his 21st birthday at the protest march.

Crowder, now 22, of Lumsdale Crescent, Matlock, Derbyshire, was given a two-year custodial sentence after footage was played to the court of him throwing an object at police.

Shane Williams, 27, of Birds Nest Avenue, Leicester, was jailed for two years. The court heard that he was seen chanting anti-Islamic slogans, hurled an empty soft drinks bottle at police, and was present at five of seven distinct sites of disorder at the protest.

Another defendant, Gareth Wall, 25, of Moresdale Lane, Leeds, used a metal pole to smash the window of a restaurant as thugs caused damage in the Regency Wharf area of Birmingham. He was jailed for 20 months after the judge told him he had shown no remorse for his “persistent” offending, which included kicking out at a police dog while goading the animal using a St George’s Cross flag.

During the EDL rally, a Muslim prayer cap and a Pakistani flag were set on fire in the street, while police were pelted with paving slabs and bottles. Around 200 EDL supporters were involved in the violence in the Broad Street and Centenary Square areas of Birmingham, which lasted for around two hours and left 30 officers injured.

Western Daily Press

A man from Leeds has been jailed over his part in a violent rally by the English Defence League.

Gareth Wall, 25, of Moresdale Lane, Seacroft, used a metal pole to smash the window of a restaurant as thugs caused damage in the Regency Wharf area of Birmingham.

He was jailed for 20 months after judge Richard Bond told him he had shown no remorse for his “persistent” offending, which included kicking out at a police dog while goading the animal using a St George’s Cross flag.

The sentencing of eight EDL supporters for violent disorder had earlier been temporarily halted after one of them demanded to be updated on the Sydney cafe siege.

Judge Bond briefly adjourned the case after being verbally abused, urged to “pass proper sentences” on Islamic extremists, and asked: “Any news on the Australian hostages?”

After returning to court, he sentenced the men, aged 22 to 35, to sentences of between 14 months and two years.

During the EDL rally, in July last year, a Muslim prayer cap and a Pakistani flag were set on fire and police were pelted with paving slabs and bottles.

Yorkshire Evening Post

A man who admitted posting offensive comments on Facebook about an Edinburgh boy beaten to death by his mother has been jailed for 12 months.

Shaun Moth posted abuse about Mikaeel Kular on the social networking site the day before the three-year-old boy’s body was found in a wood in Kirkcaldy.

The 45-year-old posted the comments on an anti-racism page as a police search was underway for the boy in January.

Rosdeep Adekoya, 34, was jailed for 11 years in August for her son’s death.

Adekoya had originally been charged with murder, but admitted the reduced charge of culpable homicide.

Moth, from Whitehills in Aberdeenshire, pleaded guilty to conducting himself in a disorderly manner, posting grossly offensive comments on Facebook and breaching the peace, aggravated by religious prejudice when he appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on 4 December.

He was sentenced at Aberdeen Sheriff Court.
‘Grotesque posts’

Sheriff William Summers said Moth had exploited the media attention around the search for Mikaeel in order to “peddle vile abuse”.

The sheriff said: “We live in a multi-racial and multi-ethnic society that remains tolerant of others.

“You are entitled to hold whatever views that you want and to hold them strongly.

“But what you said in these posts was at times grotesque.

“Anyone who disseminates this sort of material must recognise that they will be brought to justice.

“This matter is so serious it seems to be that a custodial sentence is the only option.”

Three year old Mikaeel, from Edinburgh, was reported missing by his mother on 16 January this year.

Defence agent Stuart Beveridge said his client had “strong views” and that he was abusing alcohol and drugs at the time he made the comments.

Mr Beveridge said: “He accepts that his comments were callous and in the extreme.

“He has been out of work for six years.

“He was drinking heavily and routinely using cocaine.

“He enjoys the process of argument and debate.

“He accepts that he has strong views and went too far on this occasion.”

BBC News

A group of English Defence League supporters have been jailed for more than 75 years after violence flared at a protest in Birmingham last year.

Fifty men have appeared before Birmingham Crown Court over the past five weeks to be sentenced for violent disorder after ugly scenes were witnessed by police and visitors to the second city on 20 July 2013.

Following the disorder, which was largely seen at the EDL’s Centenary Square demonstration site, an inquiry was launched by detectives from the force’s criminal investigation department to track down those who brought violence to the streets of Birmingham.

Operations were conducted across the Midlands and further afield to arrest those believed to be involved in the disorder, with appeals to trace suspects from the disorder featuring on the BBC’s Crimewatch programme in January 2014 – leading to a flood of calls to the incident room.

People were arrested from as far afield as West Sussex and Tyne and Wear, having travelled to the West Midlands to take part in the demonstration.

After protestors listened to speeches and displayed their flags, factions of the crowd of around 2000 supporters started to turn violent with missiles being thrown at police who were trying to maintaining order.

A number of officers suffered minor injuries as they tried to restore order amongst the violent minority.

The sentencing began on 11 December with defendants appearing before the court right through until this morning (9 January) when the final two sentences were passed.

The sentences ranged from a 12 month community order to 3 years 8 months imprisonment.

Superintendent Richard Baker, from Birmingham police, said: “Violence has no place on the streets of Birmingham, regardless of motivation or whatever cause people are supporting.

“In July 2013 we launched a major operation to try and maintain calm and order for the thousands to allow the demonstrators a safe and peaceful place to stage their event, whilst allowing everyone else to go about their business in the city without concern.

“In the main the policing operation was successful, however there was a minority who were intent on causing violence and disruption – and it is those people who are now facing the most severe sentences.

“This week’s court proceedings should send a clear message to those who are intent on coming to the West Midlands to cause trouble – we will not tolerate such behaviour.

“A team of detectives have worked tirelessly on this investigation for more than a year, determined to trace those involved in the disorder and bring them to justice.

“People who commit public order offences such as these should not rest easy as, no matter how long it takes, we will find you.

“We recognise that the residents, visitors and businesses of Birmingham were both concerned and inconvenienced on the day and we hope that residents of the city are reassured by our efforts to bring those involved in the disorder to justice.”

Detective sergeant Harjit Ubhi led the year-long police investigation into the disorder. Following today’s final sentencing, he said: “To see all of those involved in the disorder finally brought to justice is a great testament to the hard work and dedication of the officers who painstakingly worked to identify and arrest those responsible.

“Our inquiry has seen us liaise with forces across the country in a bid to identify people who had travelled far and wide to take part in the protest, and subsequently arrest them.

“Twenty people were arrested at the time and we continued to arrest people up and down the country over the weeks and months that followed.

“We recovered many hours of CCTV, mobile phone and police footage which led to many months of detective work to painstakingly track those involved throughout the day’s events and then put a name to those faces.

“These court proceedings underline the fact that we will pursue people who commit crime in the West Midlands, no matter how long it takes, and bring them to justice.”

The following people have been convicted and sentenced for violent disorder during the protest of 20 July 2013:

1. Ashley Rowland, aged 25, of Adwick Road, Nesborough – 31 months
2. Neil Jones, aged 45, of Meadow Farm Drive, Shrewsbury – 15 months
3. Melvyn Parker, 46, of Mewtondale Avenue, Mansfield – 24 months
4. Andrew Edge, aged 44, of Wellington Road, Stockport – 21 months
5. Mark Connor, aged 25, of Tantara Street, Walsall – 22 months
6. James Harrington, aged 30, of Kentmere Avenue, Leeds – 24 months
7. William Bartlett, aged 26, of Hotspur Avenue, Whitley Bay – 12 months
8. Joel Smith, aged 24, of Lupton Road, Sheffield – 30 months
9. James Cocks, aged 35, of Binton Close, Redditch – 24 months
10. Jake Hill, aged 32, of Church Street, Stourbridge – 22 months
11. Alan Fisher Crib, aged 20, of Wheeler Street, Newtown – 10 months
12. Shane Williams, aged 27, of Dragons Lane, Leicester – 24 months
13. Lloyd Lewis, aged 23, of Cooks Close, Atherstone – 14 months
14. Josh Norrey, aged 23, of Priors Way, Erdington – 25 months
15. Adam Beebee, aged 28, of Boundary Road, Erdington – 13 months
16. Anthony Webster, aged 38, of West Road, Newcastle – 21 months
17. Thomas Wilkie aged 23, of Kent Road, Wednesbury – 18 months
18. Rob Pay, aged 35, of Gypsy Lane, Erdington – 22 months
19. James Olley-Shields, aged 22, of Hanbury Hill, Stourbridge – 12 months
20. John Warrender, aged 28, of Oakdale Close, Oldbury – 15 months
21. Gareth Wall, aged 25, of Moresdale Lane, Leeds – 20 months
22. Thomas Milner, aged 21, of Herbert Street, Darlington – 16 months
23. Philip Collins – 16months + 2 + 17 months TOTAL 35 months
24. Benjamin Crowder, aged 22, of Lumsdale Crescent, Matlock – 24 months
25. Christopher Michael Layton, aged 28, of Tustin Grove, Acocks Green – 14 months + 6months TOTAL 20 months
26. Jason Harris, aged 40, of Lime Street, Eccles – 20 Months
27. Lee Joshua, aged 43, of St Marys Court, Brierley Hill – 16 months
28. Michael Dyer, aged 34, of Morse Road, Nailbridge – 12 months
29. Steven Cooke, aged 39, of London Road South, Lowestoft – 24 months
30. Simon Reeve, aged 43, of London Road, South, Lowestoft – 18 months
31. Adrian Rimmel, aged 51, of Swallow Avenue, Smithswood – 24 months
32. Thomas Flynn, aged 22, of Grange Drive, Swindon – 14 months
33. Otis Bloodworth, aged 36, of Market Place, Alford – 18 months
34. Scott Davidson, aged 24, of Camross Drive, Shrewsbury – 12 months
35. Gary Watts, aged 30, of Stevens Close, Canvey Island – 15 months
36. Andrew Warren/McGill, aged 48, of Freehold Street, Shoreham by Sea – 12 months
37. Stuart Snowball, aged 24, of Howarth Street, Sunderland – 13 months
38. Danny Purvis, aged 34, of Newcastle Hill, Kent – 27 months
39. Thomas Nelson, aged 21, of Seaforth Road, Bolton – 22 months
40. Matthew Dunn, aged 28, of Park Rod, Lowestoft – 12 months
41. Marc Collins, aged 34, of Bandywood Crescent, Kingstanding – 12 months
42. Lee Hunter, aged 32, of Nidd Drive, Castleford – 6 months
43. Sonny Marland, aged 20, of Meadow Road, Melksham – 8 months
44. Kenny Graham, aged 20, of Ottawa Road, Middlesborough – 26 months
45. Kane Moffatt, aged 22, of Hawthorne Crescent, Mexborough – 22 months
46. Adam Emms, aged 24, of Donnington Close, Redditch – 13 +13 TOTAL 26 months
47. Joshua Wall, aged 21, of The Ridgeway Erdington -16 + 29 +1 TOTAL 46 months
48. Karl Reed, aged 51, of Maple Grove, Bletchley – community order 12 months (not pictured)
49. Jamie Wilder, aged 22, Devonshire Road, Hastings – total of 6 and a half years (including other offences)
50. Mark Morgan, aged 25, of St Johns Avenue, Newcastle – 16 months

Sentencing for Michael Wilson, aged 20, of Arkley Crescent in Hartlepool was adjourned until 30 January.

One other man, Dean Kenny, is wanted on warrant in connection with the investigation.

Two men are yet to appear before court, charged with violent disorder at the counter demonstration on the day of the July 2013 protest.

Khurram Shabir, aged 22 of Finnemore Road, Bordesley Green pleaded guilty at a hearing in December and awaits sentence.
Nadeem Zaffar, aged 26, of Somerville Road, Small Heath, awaits trial at Birmingham Crown Court on 12 January.

West Midlands Police

A FORMER soldier who planned to “frame” his partner’s ex-boyfriend by downloading child pornography onto his computer has been jailed for six months.

John Broomfield, 28, from Bell Street, Swanage, admitted 20 counts of making indecent images of children.

Prosecuting at Bournemouth Crown Court, Kerry Maylin said Broomfield had been arrested and two computers seized on July 22 last year.

After the computers were forensically examined, 236 indecent images were found, depicting children and babies.

Ms Maylin said Broomfield had told police he had downloaded the images in a bid to get his partner’s ex-boyfriend “off her back”, adding: “He was going to download them to the other man’s computer, until his conscience got the better of him.”

In Broomfield’s defence, the court was told that he was “anti” child pornography and had been “disgusted” by the images he had made.

After eight years’ exemplary military service, Broomfield had been medically discharged after suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome. He was planning to do voluntary work.

Sentencing Broomfield, Judge Samuel Wiggs told him: “I regard your potential use of these images as being particularly serious.”

Broomfield will be on the sex offenders’ register for seven years.

Dorset Echo

This story is from June 2011.

You can read about his EDL activities here

Craig McLaughlin, 21, of Grange Road, Layton, pleaded guilty to an offence of threatening with an offensive weapon. His arrest followed an incident in the Hatfield Avenue area of Fleetwood on September 21 last year.

Swinging a baseball bat at a stranger in the street has left a Blackpool man facing a six-month spell behind bars.

Craig McLaughlin swung the weapon towards a man riding past him on a bicycle, causing the cyclist to almost fall off his bike.

A court heard the defendant had consumed alcohol as well as cocaine beforehand and had no real recollection of what happened.

McLaughlin, 21, of Grange Road, Layton, pleaded guilty to an offence of threatening with an offensive weapon.

His arrest followed an 
incident in the Hatfield 
Avenue area of Fleetwood on September 21.

Mercedeh Jabbari, prosecuting at Preston Crown Court, said a man was riding towards a junction that afternoon when he noticed a man coming out of a gateway which led to the rear of some flats.

He told the court: “As he rode past the defendant, Craig McLaughlin, was rushing 
towards him saying ‘you think you’re hard, don’t you?’

“He began swinging the bat towards him.

“The male almost fell off his bicycle, but managed to swerve. He hit the kerb.”

The man contacted the police while keeping McLaughlin, who continued to shout, in sight.

While the man was on the phone to the police, the defendant had taken his top off and was running around.

He subsequently dropped the bat.

The prosecution said McLaughlin then showed passive resistance towards a police officer.

He would not providing any details of who he was.

McLaughlin had 35 previous offences on his record.

In October he was given 12 weeks prison for breaching a suspended sentence made in April of last year.

Julie Taylor, defending, said McLaughlin had drunk far too much at the time and had also taken cocaine.

She said: “He had had an argument.

“He had the baseball bat for his protection.

“He picked it up and after that he really hasn’t any recollection of making a threat towards the man.

“He accepts his guilt.

“He simply has no recollection, but accepts the man would have been extremely fearful during the incident.

“It is something for which the defendant has expressed remorse and wishes to 
apologise to him and to the court.”

Ms Taylor added that the prison term passed after the offence last September had been a real wake up call for him.

McLaughlin had given up drinking to excess and now only occasionally smoked cannabis.

BBC News

Moss, jailed for 10 months

A RACIST hurled vile abuse and smashed up a car in an unprovoked attack branded “utterly unacceptable” by a judge.

Ashley Moss, 26, admitted racially abusing two men and racially aggravated criminal damage.

He was part of a drunk gang in Stanley Street, west Hull, when he shouted at Alhagi Nvenga: “You are not from our country you black b******.

“Someone is going to get you, you need to get out of here.”

He then caused £1,000 of damage by smashing the window of a Fiat Multipla belonging to Anita Lovelock-Lowe, who was visiting Mr Nvenga.

Prosecutor Holly Betke said: “Ashley Moss was stood looking over the fence, possibly stood on top of the car, so he could be abusive.”

He shouted: “Ring the police, I am still going to get you.”

Later that day, Moss, along with gang member Terry Sullivan, hurled more racist abuse at Pakistan-born Mohammed Azizi as he was sitting with friends in Pearson Park, west Hull.

Ms Betke said: “He was approached by four males .

“They were drunk and carrying alcohol.

“One of the males started shouting, ‘Why don’t you get back to your own country?’

“Mr Sullivan joined in, also shouting abusive words at Mr Azizi.”

While Moss was on bail for the racist remarks, he breached a restraining order banning him from seeing his girlfriend Rebecca Grubb, who has since had his baby.

He also smashed Simon Ward’s Citroen Picasso and stole a trial motorbike, which he crashed into a police car.

Moss was jailed for ten months, while Sullivan was given a 12-month community order because he has recently had a brain tumour removed.

Judge Jeremy Richardson QC told Moss: “It was utterly uncivilised.

“There must never, never, never be a repetition of this appalling racism.

“You must have taken leave of your senses to behave in such a way.”

Hull Daily Mail

From his Facebook account.

AN English Defence League supporter from Bolton is part of a large group jailed after violence flared at a protest in Birmingham.

Thomas Nelson, aged 21, of Seaforth Road, Astley Bridge, has been convicted of violent disorder and jailed for 22 months.

He was one of 50 men to have appeared before Birmingham Crown Court over the past five weeks after violent scenes in the city on July 20, 2013.

After EDL protestors listened to speeches and displayed their flags, factions of the crowd of about 2,000 supporters started to turn violent with missiles being thrown at police, who were trying to maintain order.

A number of police officers suffered minor injuries as they tried to restore order in what they said was a “violent minority”.

After the disorder in Centenary Square, police launched an inquiry to track down those involved.

West Midlands Police said they conducted operations across the midlands and further afield to catch them all, with appeals to trace suspects featuring on the BBC’s Crimewatch programme in January last year – leading to a flood of calls to the incident room.

People were arrested from as far afield as West Sussex and Tyne and Wear, having travelled to the West Midlands to take part in the demonstration.

The sentences ranged from a 12 month community order to 3 years 8 months imprisonment.

Supt Richard Baker, from Birmingham Police, said: “A team of detectives have worked tirelessly on this investigation for more than a year, determined to trace those involved in the disorder and bring them to justice.

“People who commit public order offences such as these should not rest easy as, no matter how long it takes, we will find you.”

Full list of people sentenced:

1. Ashley Rowland, aged 25, of Adwick Road, Nesborough – 31 months
2. Neil Jones, aged 45, of Meadow Farm Drive, Shrewsbury – 15 months
3. Melvyn Parker, 46, of Mewtondale Avenue, Mansfield – 24 months
4. Andrew Edge, aged 44, of Wellington Road, Stockport – 21 months
5. Mark Connor, aged 25, of Tantara Street, Walsall – 22 months
6. James Harrington, aged 30, of Kentmere Avenue, Leeds – 24 months
7. William Bartlett, aged 26, of Hotspur Avenue, Whitley Bay – 12 months
8. Joel Smith, aged 24, of Lupton Road, Sheffield – 30 months
9. James Cocks, aged 35, of Binton Close, Redditch – 24 months
10. Jake Hill, aged 32, of Church Street, Stourbridge – 22 months
11. Alan Fisher Crib, aged 20, of Wheeler Street, Newtown – 10 months
12. Shane Williams, aged 27, of Dragons Lane, Leicester – 24 months
13. Lloyd Lewis, aged 23, of Cooks Close, Atherstone – 14 months
14. Josh Norrey, aged 23, of Priors Way, Erdington – 25 months
15. Adam Beebee, aged 28, of Boundary Road, Erdington – 13 months
16. Anthony Webster, aged 38, of West Road, Newcastle – 21 months
17. Thomas Wilkie aged 23, of Kent Road, Wednesbury – 18 months
18. Rob Pay, aged 35, of Gypsy Lane, Erdington – 22 months
19. James Olley-Shields, aged 22, of Hanbury Hill, Stourbridge – 12 months
20. John Warrender, aged 28, of Oakdale Close, Oldbury – 15 months
21. Gareth Wall, aged 25, of Moresdale Lane, Leeds – 20 months
22. Thomas Milner, aged 21, of Herbert Street, Darlington – 16 months
23. Philip Collins, aged 28 – 16months + 2 + 17 months TOTAL 35 months
24. Benjamin Crowder, aged 22, of Lumsdale Crescent, Matlock – 24 months
25. Christopher Michael Layton, aged 28, of Tustin Grove, Acocks Green – 14 months + 6months TOTAL 20 months
26. Jason Harris, aged 40, of Lime Street, Eccles – 20 Months
27. Lee Joshua, aged 43, of St Marys Court, Brierley Hill – 16 months
28. Michael Dyer, aged 34, of Morse Road, Nailbridge – 12 months
29. Steven Cooke, aged 39, of London Road South, Lowestoft – 24 months
30. Simon Reeve, aged 43, of London Road, South, Lowestoft – 18 months
31. Adrian Rimmel, aged 51, of Swallow Avenue, Smithswood – 24 months
32. Thomas Flynn, aged 22, of Grange Drive, Swindon – 14 months
33. Otis Bloodworth, aged 36, of Market Place, Alford – 18 months
34. Scott Davidson, aged 24, of Camross Drive, Shrewsbury – 12 months
35. Gary Watts, aged 30, of Stevens Close, Canvey Island – 15 months
36. Andrew Warren/McGill, aged 48, of Freehold Street, Shoreham by Sea – 12 months
37. Stuart Snowball, aged 24, of Howarth Street, Sunderland – 13 months
38. Danny Purvis, aged 34, of Newcastle Hill, Kent – 27 months
39. Thomas Nelson, aged 21, of Seaforth Road, Bolton – 22 months
40. Matthew Dunn, aged 28, of Park Rod, Lowestoft – 12 months
41. Marc Collins, aged 34, of Bandywood Crescent, Kingstanding – 12 months
42. Lee Hunter, aged 32, of Nidd Drive, Castleford – 6 months
43. Sonny Marland, aged 20, of Meadow Road, Melksham – 8 months
44. Kenny Graham, aged 20, of Ottawa Road, Middlesborough – 26 months
45. Kane Moffatt, aged 22, of Hawthorne Crescent, Mexborough – 22 months
46. Adam Emms, aged 24, of Donnington Close, Redditch – 13 +13 TOTAL 26 months
47. Joshua Wall, aged 21, of The Ridgeway Erdington -16 + 29 +1 TOTAL 46 months
48. Karl Reed, aged 51, of Maple Grove, Bletchley – community order 12 months (not pictured)
49. Jamie Wilder, aged 22, Devonshire Road, Hastings – total of 6 and a half years (including other offences)
50. Mark Morgan, aged 25, of St Johns Avenue, Newcastle – 16 months

Sentencing of Michael Wilson, aged 20, of Arkley Crescent, Hartlepool, has been adjourned until January 30.

Dean Kenny is wanted in connection with the investigation.

Two men are yet to appear before court, charged with violent disorder at the counter demonstration on the day of the July 2013 protest.

Khurram Shabir, aged 22 of Finnemore Road, Bordesley Green, Birmingham, pleaded guilty at a hearing in December and awaits sentence.

Nadeem Zaffar, aged 26, of Somerville Road, Small Heath, Birmingham, awaits trial at Birmingham Crown Court on January 12.

Bolton News

Merfyn Jones has been convicted of 13 counts of rape and been placed on the sex offenders’ register for life

Defendant Merfyn Jones, of Shotton, was jailed for 17 years for a series of historic sex offences against children

The perverted past of a man — branded a sexual predator — caught up with him when he was jailed for 17 years for a campaign of sexual offences.

Merfyn Jones, 53, of Rowden Street in Shotton, was placed on the sex offender’s register for life.

Jones had denied 13 offences of rape, attempted rape and indecent assault against four complainants, when they were children, dating back to the 1990s.

But he was unanimously convicted by a jury at Mold Crown Court in December.

Judge Rhys Rowlands said that Jones continued to deny the offences and had shown no remorse at all.

“You have no comprehension of the way in which you were meant to behave as a grown man towards young children, or the harm you have caused the victims,” the judge told him.

Jones, from Fllintshire, was a man of no convictions and had to be sentenced for his behaviour 20 years ago when he was in his 30s, he said.

Although there had been a significant delay, the other side of that was that he had managed to live a normal life for many years while the victims had to live with what he had done to them.

“You took advantage of four young girls and you did so repeatedly,” Judge Rowlands told him.

Two of the victims had been raped.

“Totally understandably, your behaviour had an appalling and profound effect,” the judge said.

“They continue to suffer to this day while you could not care less about the harm you have caused.

The only mitigation was that the offending ended in the 1990s and he had not been in any trouble since.

Judge Rowlands said that the victims were women now in their 20s and 30s but that Jones had taken away their childhoods — and thought he had got away with it.

“Now, I am afraid, you have to answer for your depraved behaviour as a younger man,” he said.

At the earlier hearing the judge said that on the verdicts of the jury, he fell to be sentenced as a sexual predator who had got away with for many years.

Jones was convicted of six charges of rape, one charge of attempted rape and six charges of indecent assault.

Prosecuting barrister John Philpotts said that victim impact statements showed the offences had not been reported at the time because the victims, as children, did not think they would be believed.

Some of them spoke of being unable to sleep, having nightmares, and still feeling the pain of what he had done.

One said that she felt angry and emotional and found it difficult to trust people.

Another told how her confidence and self-esteem had been affected and she suffered panic attacks.

Mr Philpotts described it as a sustained campaign of sexual offences with multiple victims which had caused severe psychological harm.

Paul Smith, defending, argued that the description of a campaign was not appropriate.

He said Jones appreciated that he was to receive a very significant sentence but he asked to judge to keep totality in mind.

The Daily Post

Michael McQueenie admitted the crimes in November

A man has been jailed for the rape and sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl with learning difficulties.

Michael McQueenie, from Highbury Place in Blackburn, was sentenced at Burnley Crown Court to nearly 12 years after pleading guilty in November.

Lancashire Police said the 28-year-old assaulted the teenager on 5 June last year after he “lured the girl” into a wooded area.

Det Ch Insp Dean Holden described it as “a callous attack”.

“Her ordeal only came to an end when her dad came to find her and McQueenie ran off for fear of being caught,” he added.

He said the victim’s family were grateful to witnesses who helped identify him.

McQueenie was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life and will be subject to a lifelong Sexual Offences Prevention Order.

BBC News

Michael McQueenie (pictured) has been jailed for more than 11 years for raping the 14-year-old girl, who has learning difficulties and is partially blind

A rapist wearing a hi-vis jacket who attacked a 14-year old partially blind girl after he failed to find sex on Skype and WhatsApp has been jailed for more than 11 years.

Michael McQueenie, 28, from Blackburn, Lancashire, had been drinking for three hours after leaving work at a waste recycling plant and was ‘sexually frustrated’ after repeatedly trying and failing to arrange to have sex with women over the internet.

Eventually McQueenie, who was still dressed in his work high visibility jacket, targeted the teenager after he spotted her sitting on a wall near a primary school.

He lured her into bushes before ordering her to strip and raping her.

The victim was found when her father, who had gone out looking for her, spotted her and McQueenie emerging from the bushes.

McQueenie fled but was later arrested as the immediate run-up to the attack had been caught on CCTV.

A court heard he resumed his online trawl for sex just 15 minutes after the rape.

The court heard the girl has a ‘multitude of learning difficulties,’ and had no concept of stranger danger and had been ‘inherently trusting of people.’

Her teacher said: ‘Anybody could ask her to do anything and she would do it.’

The court heard McQueenie’s actions ‘destroyed’ the girl’s loving, devoted and protective family and had left a ‘permanent and deep scar in their lives’.

In a statement read out in court, her father said: ‘The attack has altered our lives forever and we are completely and utterly devastated.

‘I feel this has destroyed me and my family.’

McQueenie admitted rape and sexual assault at Burnley Crown Court and was locked up for 11 years and seven months.

He was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely and was issued with a Sexual Offences Prevention order, banning him from having unsupervised contact with any female under the age of 16 and from living in the same household as any female under 16.

Joseph Allman, prosecuting, told the court the incident occurred on June 5 last year, after the girl had a chance encounter with McQueenie.

An eyewitness had been looking out onto the park when he saw the teenager being lured into some bushes by a stranger and went out to intervene.

The man came across the girl’s father, who was already looking for her.

They both went into the nearby park and saw the teenager and McQueenie, but he fled when the girl’s father chased after him.

Initially the girl said the stranger had just touched her.

She later told police she had met a ‘naughty man’ who told her to kiss him and take her clothes off before she was made to perform a sex act on him.

Police later established several people had seen the victim sitting on a low wall with a stranger at 8.24pm, shortly before she was seen on the playing field.

The stranger on the wall was described as similar to the man the girl’s father had chased and eyewitnesses said he had been wearing a hi vis jacket and had been drinking beer.

CCTV captured McQueenie going in to a local shop to buy beer in his hi viz jacket.

McQueenie was arrested on June 11 but claimed that after leaving work he had gone home, had a lot to drink and had not gone out again.

Mr Allman said: ‘Significantly, he adamantly denied he was wearing a yellow hi-vis jacket that day and maintained he had never been issued with that kind of jacket.’

He was re-interviewed when officers received statements from several people who had seen McQueenie sat on the wall.

He maintained he wasn’t the attacker but was later picked out by a witness during an identification parade.

He maintained he wasn’t the attacker but was later picked out by a witness during an identification parade.

Police then spoke to his workmates, supervisor and project co-ordinator.

Mr Allman told the court: ‘They readily established he did have a yellow hi vis jacket and in fact was issued with it that day.

‘They also established his jacket had disappeared by the following morning by the time he arrived at work. It has never been found.’

‘The defendant insisted it wasn’t him and ultimately tried to point the finger in the direction of what he described as “Asian gangs” hanging around in the area.’

McQueenie’s mobile phone and the laptop he shared with his mother were seized.

When officers analysed the phone and computer, they found he had made extensive use of two messaging functions, Skype and WhatsApp.

Mr Allman said: ‘In the early hours of the morning of the day the victim was raped, he sent really vast amounts of sexually themed messages to a wide range of women who were apparently strangers, or at most online acquaintances.

‘He had at least 10 specific sexual conversations, trying to meet for sex or have a webcam session and all of these exchanges ended in frustration.

‘About 15 minutes after the girl was raped, he resumed contact and carried on contacting numerous women to make small talk, but also to talk about sex.’

McQueenie has 37 previous offences on his record dating back to 2004.

At the time of the rape he was subject to a domestic violence suspended prison sentence for assaulting his partner as she held a baby.

The court heard the probation service found him to have a ‘poor attitude towards women.’

In mitigation defence counsel Kenneth Hind said : ‘The only major mitigation is that he has pleaded guilty.

‘He is facing up to the reality of the offences themselves.

‘This was an opportunist offence. It was committed within, what must be fair to say, a small window of opportunity.

‘It’s a terrible offence in itself, but it’s a one-off situation.

‘There’s no history or anything that would indicate that it’s likely to occur again, significantly.

‘There’s certainly a lack of maturity on his part, certainly in dealing with women.

‘There’s no doubt that there will follow a very substantial prison sentence and of course he knows that that will be the outcome.’

Passing sentence Judge Jacqueline Beech told McQueenie: ‘You lack remorse and any insight into the consequences of your offending on others.

‘It would have been immediately obvious to you that she was very vulnerable and that’s no doubt why you led her into the park and did what you did to her.

‘It’s clear at the time you were sexually frustrated as you had been seeking instant gratification over social media. ‘

‘Your offending has destroyed everything the victim’s family had been working for.

‘You should be absolutely ashamed of yourself. This is a long sentence and rightly so.’

Daily Mail

Two final men have been jailed for violent disorder after they took part in an English Defence League protest in Birmingham.

Michael Wilson, aged 20, was sentenced to a 12 month jail term, while 42-year-old Dean Kenny, was sentenced to 18 months in his absence after failing to attend court. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.

The two sentences bring the total jail term imposed for those who took part in the disorder in 2013 to more than 78 years for the violent disorder, after 50 other men appeared before Birmingham Crown Court in December and earlier this month.

Around 2,000 protesters gathered in Birmingham city centre on July 20, 2013, where ugly scenes were witnessed by police and visitors to the city.

Operations were conducted across the Midlands and further afield to arrest those believed to be involved, with appeals to trace suspects on social media and BBC’s Crimewatch early last year.

The sentencing began on December, 11, 2014 with January 30 seeing the final two sentences being passed bringing the total of defendants to 52.

Superintendent Richard Baker, from Birmingham police, said: “Violence has no place on the streets of Birmingham, regardless of motivation or whatever cause people are supporting.

Express & Star

An English Defence League supporter from Rugeley has been banned from all licensed premises after a judge saw a recording of violence after the group he was in was turned away from a pub.

Ross Gilbert was the seventh man to be dealt with at Warwick Crown Court following a clash between EDL supporters and customers at the George Eliot pub in Bridge Street, Nuneaton.

He and the other six had all pleaded guilty to a charge of violent disorder following the incident which took place almost four years ago in February 2011.

Gilbert, aged 28, of William Morris Court, Rugeley, was sentenced to eight months in prison suspended for 12 months and ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Andrew Lockhart QC also imposed an exclusion order banning him from all public houses and restaurants where alcohol is served for three months.

He told Gilbert, who was given a football banning order last month because of drunken behaviour at the Hawthorns in December, he had escaped custody ‘by a hair’s breadth.’

Prosecutor Lisa Hancox said a group of EDL supporters, including Gilbert, had been to Luton for a demonstration and had to change trains in Nuneaton on their way back to Staffordshire. Several of them took the opportunity to head into the town centre for a drink, and after going to a kebab shop they headed to the George Eliot.

On the way one of the group was captured by a CCTV camera stopping to put on a cross of St George face mask before they congregated outside the pub where they were refused entry. There was a stand-off during which a drinker came out of the pub and confronted the masked EDL supporter, at which point Gilbert threw a punch at him.

And Judge Lockhart, watching a CCTV recording observed: “He was the first to use physical violence.”

Gilbert, representing himself, said: “I feel ashamed. It was four years ago. I was younger, stupid. I’ve moved on in my life.”

Express & Star

DRUGS CHARGES … clockwise, from top left, Thomas Allen, Deborah Ritchie, Daniel Sayers and Adam Sayers.

FOUR drug dealers were arrested when police launched an undercover operation to tackle city centre crime.

Officers who posed as users ‘Gary and Emma’ were easily able to buy drugs from strangers they met while hanging around the busy streets of Sunderland.

Over a period of weeks the covert cops were regularly offered and sold cannabis.

On one occasion they were able to buy diamorphine during a deal that took place near Hudson Street Primary School.

As a result of the operation, Adam Sayers, 27 and Deborah Ritchie, 28, both of Somerset Street, Daniel Sayers, 31, of Hill View Square and Thomas Allen, 29, of Guildford Street, all in Sunderland, all admitted drugs charges.

All four have dozens of previous convictions for a variety of offences.

Prosecutor Micahael Hodson told Newcastle Crown Court; “This was an investigation into crime generally, in the centre of Sunderland.

“The prosecution say Adams Sayers is the busiest of all and he involved his girlfriend Miss Ritchie.

“Daniel Sayers made the first approach to the two officers, who were sitting on a wall in Sunderland town centre.

“The crown submit they are street dealers.”

The court heard the first meeting with the undercover officers was in early April last year.

The operation came to an end in August when the home of Sayers and Ritchie was raided and 14 wraps of cannabis were found.

Between those dates the officers had been able to purchase small amount of drugs, in exchange for cash, cigarettes and even razors.

The deals were often arranged via mobile phone after the initial street meeting in April.

Adam Sayers, who admitted supplying and offering to supply cannabis, was jailed for nine months.

Ritchie, who admitted supplying and offering to supply cannabis, was sentenced to four months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, with a two month curfew.

Allen, who admitted supplying cannabis, was sentenced to four month imprisonment, suspended for 18 months with supervision and a two month curfew.

Daniel Sayers, who admitted one charge of supplying diamorphine, was jailed for nine months , consecutive to a sentence he is serving for unrelated offences.

Judge Paul Sloan QC told them: “Your offending was detected as a result of a police operation where two undercover officers were deployed to operate covertly in Sunderland.”

The judge said he accepted Ritchie, who has turned her back on trouble and is co-operating fully with officials who are trying to help her, and Allen, who has no previous convictions for drugs offences and has settled down with a family, were lesser involved.

The court heard the diamophine handed over by Daniel Sayers during his brief involvement was worth less than £10 and he exchanged it for 100 cigarettes.

Alec Burns, defending, said the class A drug was in prescription tablet form, which got ground down during the exchange near the school.

Mr Burns said; “It was not someone who had heroin ready to supply, it was someone who improvised at the time.”

The court heard Adam Sayers has been diagnosed with health problems and has vowed to turn his back on trouble.

Sunderland Echo

The EDL supporter in this article is Tommy Allan

A respected Gateshead football coach is today exposed as a pervert after reporting restrictions on his sordid secrets were lifted

Kane Hutchison leaves Gateshead Magistrates Court

Football coach Kane Hutchison can today be unmasked as a serial sex offender who targets young boys.

To the outside world, Hutchison was a respected young coach who played amateur football to a decent standard and enjoyed teaching youngsters.

But he harboured a dark secret – a sexual attraction to teenage boys – which can today be revealed for the first time after reporting restrictions were lifted.

Hutchison was jailed for three years last August for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy after offering to take him to watch a football match.

Now he has been found guilty of inciting two teenage boys to engage in sexual activity on the internet, abusing his position for his own gratification.

The court case last year heard the 25-year-old had been banned from coaching youngsters by the Football Association and had to curtail a training stint in the USA in 2011 after further allegations were made.

During that case, prosecutor Vince Ward said: “He has coached in the USA.

“There have been complaints made by other children which have not resulted in criminal proceedings or conviction, which have led to the FA banning him from coaching activities.

“That resulted in him having to curtail training in America.”

Mr Ward said Hutchison had played for a local amateur team and had coached youngsters there.

He said: “He played for a local team to a reasonable standard in local leagues and has coached children from that club as well.

“He has offered children private coaching sessions at his home address.”

The sexual assaults happened in April last year when he invited a youngster to attend an away match between Gateshead and Macclesfield.

Hutchison, who was banned from going to football matches after taking part in a pitch invasion in 2011, invited the boy to stay over at his home, saying they needed an early start.

He told the boy they would have to share a bed and soon announced it was bed time. Within minutes he began molesting the terrified youngster in the bed, the court heard.

The boy later reported to his mother what had happened and Hutchison was arrested within hours when police found him hiding in the loft.

Hutchison denied two counts of sexual assault but was found guilty after a trial. As well as the three years prison sentence he was told to sign the sex offender register indefinitely and was made subject to a ten-year sexual offences prevention order.

Nick Lane, defending, said: “The FA revoked his licence to coach children. He remains a coach but only in relation to adults

“He was involved at the time of his arrest in marketing and working for a football magazine.”

Mr Lane added: “He is a man who in the past has done considerable charity work and good work for the community.

“In 2013 he was part of a team raising money for Help for Heroes who over the course of 24 hours visited 20 Premier League grounds as a way of raising funds for that charity.

“He has used his football contacts in the past to organise a charity match for testicular cancer.

“He has also in the past used his sporting skills working with adults with learning difficulties to encourage them to participate in sport.”

Hutchison, formerly of Field House Road, Gateshead, has now also been found guilty of inciting two other boys on the internet when they were just 13 and 14.

The first victim knew Hutchison played for a football club in Gateshead and was looking into joining the same club.

Hutchison made contact with the boy on Facebook, where he was advertising for players, and they began to communicate.

Prosecutor Alec Burns said: “From the defendant’s point of view the communication became more and more sexual.

“He told him he could earn money making pornographic films, he said £350 an hour.

“He asked (the boy) to send pictures of himself.”

The boy told police Hutchison had communicated with him on ‘face tag’ and the pervert appeared on his computer screen via a webcam committing a sex act on himself.

He encouraged the victim to do the same and made him swap intimate pictures.

Hutchison also tried to meet the youngster in a car park, the court heard.

The offences started in the summer of 2013 and lasted until March last year.

It came to light last August when the boy’s family checked his Facebook account and saw the messages from Hutchison.

He had targeted another boy, aged 14, in a similar way between April and August last year.

Hutchison lied about his age and started asking the youngster to meet him, offering him £20 to do so.

He also sent him intimate pictures of himself on Facebook and Snapchat and encouraged him to do the same.

It came to light when the boy’s mother read about a previous court appearance by Hutchison and recognised him as one of her son’s Facebook friends.

Sentence was adjourned on the latest convictions until next month.

Judge John Evans told him: “Having been convicted of these offences I’m going to adjourn sentence now for a pre-sentence report to address the issue of dangerousness.

“You know only a custodial sentence can follow in relation to these matters.”

The trial heard Hutchison had been “struggling with his sexuality” at the time and has been on a sex offender programme in prison.

Newcastle Chronicle

Thanks to EDL News for this picture of Kane on an EDL Demo

EDL News

A NEWPORT man has been fined after posting racist comments on Facebook.

Jason Gwyer, aged 32, of Brown Close, was convicted of a racially aggravated public order offence after posting racists comments on Facebook in relation to the annual Ashura march which takes place in Newport.

The march organised by the Islamic Society for Wales was to commemorate the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain who was killed in Karbala, Iraq, more than 1,300 years ago.

The details of the march were published in the Argus in November, 2014, and Gwyer posted a photo of the article along with racist comments on his Facebook page on November 12, 2014.

Gwyer posted: “Need this to go viral!!!! Muslims think they are going to have a nice little march thru my city on Sunday!!! think not!!! Need as much force as possable. We need to stand up and tell these vile pigs where to go!!! Who is with me??? Please share.”

He was found guilty at Newport Magistrates Court and fined £165. He also had to pay costs of £620.

He was also charged with producing class b drug cannabis and possession of a class b drug which was cannabis. He pleaded guilty to both offences.

He received a 12 month community order, a £100 fine and the drugs were ordered for destruction.

PC Ricky Thomas, investigating officer, after the hearing, said: “Gwent Police will not tolerate any type of hate crime in our communities. We will investigate it and put evidence before the courts for the offender to be dealt with.

“I hope this serves as a warning to people who think that by posting on social media sites that it is anonymous in some way – it isn’t and it’s still an offence. We would encourage anyone who has concerns about anything they see on social media to report it to us on 101.”

South Wales Argus

Kenneth Graham demanded cash from the terrified Middlesbrough assistant warning her: “I’ve got a gun and I’ll shoot you”

A robber who held up a late night store telling the terrified, lone assistant “I’ve got a gun” was jailed for three years.

Kenneth Graham, 21, arrived at the Premier shop in Middlesbrough on his bike at 9.30pm as assistant Ann Wilson was outside taking a cigarette break.

As she went behind the counter to serve him he demanded she hand over the money saying: “I’ve got a gun and I’ll shoot you”.

He was standing in front of her with his right hand inside his jacket rummaging around for something.

Prosecutor Rachel Masters told Teesside Crown Court that Miss Wilson started to panic and she hit the wrong button on the till, but eventually she took out a handful of £5 and £10 notes.

Graham, who was wearing gloves, said ‘Don’t you dare touch your phone’ and he left returning immediately to repeat ‘Don’t use your phone.”

Miss Masters added: “She was crying uncontrollably thinking that he had a gun.

“She saw a man at the cash machine and he called the police. Graham was identified as a possible suspect and he was positively identified soon after.

“She said later that she recognised him as the robber of the store having known him in the area where she lived.

“The incident left her extremely upset and scared, worrying if the person knew her and came back.

“She said ‘I feel sick about the whole incident’. When she was going to be a witness she asked for special measures.

“She said ‘I’m suffering panic attacks. I have been receiving regular support from the Victim Support network. I am struggling to do my work but it’s something I have to do because I need the money to pay my bills.”

Graham had 16 convictions for 29 offences including drugs,assault theft and burglary.

Jim Withyman, defending, said that Graham came from a respectable family but he had been threatened over a drug debt after he turned to drugs while mourning the deaths of two close friends.

He said that Graham, whose parents were in court supporting him, wished to apologise through him to Miss Wilson for the terror and upset he caused to her.

Judge Michael Taylor told Grham: “She is finding it very difficult to come to terms with what happened.

“People like her perform a valuable serviced to the public, and the message has got to out that those who commit these sort of offences will always received substantial prison sentences.

“You said that you had a gun and she was not to know whether you had one.”

Graham, of Ottawa Road,Middlesbrough, was jailed for three years after he pleaded guilty to the November 3 robbery of the store on Longlands Road, Middlesbrough.

Gazette Live

He was jailed last year for his role in the EDL rioting at the Birmingham demo in 2013. More info here.

A right wing extremist who threatened to blow up the Express & Star has today been jailed for eight months.

Darren Fletcher outside Wolverhampton Crown Court in November 2013

The warning was among a string of postings made on Facebook by Darren Fletcher that broke the terms of Criminal Anti Social Behaviour Order imposed on him along with a 12-month prison term in January last year for trying to stir-up racial hatred, a judge heard.

In those days he was called Christopher Phillips but tried to hide his identity by later changing his name by deed poll and using the handle of Whitest Knight to put extremist comments on the internet after his release from jail, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

On November 4 he posted a comment on a Facebook page supporting another man jailed for airing anti-Semitic views.

Fletcher’s message, outlined to the court, read: “Express & Star. The worst. The **** they wrote about me is unforgivable. Their head office needs bombing.”

In other postings on the same site he poured out his hatred for the police and the current state of Britain, the court heard.

He said he hoped the country came ‘crashing to its knees’ and expressed a wish that the terrorist organisation ISIS ‘bombed the **** out of the police’.

The 25-year-old was arrested by counter terrorism officers in a swoop on his home in Kitchen Lane, Wednesfield, on November 13, said Mr Robert Price, prosecuting.

Analysis of the defendant’s mobile phone and laptop computer confirmed that he had been the person who posted the offensive Facebook comments while posing as Whitest Knight, the court was told.

Mr Nicholas Towers, defending, said the law breaking comments had been made on a Facebook page supported by people with similar right wing views to those of Fletcher.

The lawyer argued: “He was preaching to the choir and expecting nods of agreement from his audience. This was not aimed at causing widespread offence.”

Fletcher, who suffers from autism and whose father committed suicide, was said to have recently attempted to take his own life.

Mr Towers continued: “He has an obsessive personality and is unable to see normal social limits, but with the far right movement he has discovered that the more extreme his views, the greater the approval.”

Fletcher was originally jailed in January last year after posting a YouTube video showing him dressed as a Klu Klux Klansman while dancing holding a golliwog hanging from a noose.

One of the images he posted on Facebook

A KKK outfit, National Front membership card, White Pride Worldwide flag and a copy of a letter to a German acquaintance of mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik were uncovered by police during an earlier raid on his home linked to the offence that put him in jail.

Mr Towers argued that the defendant needed help to ‘move off his current obsession with racism and to something more productive’.

The lawyer suggested that a prison sentence would simply serve to harden those far right beliefs.

Forklift truck driver Fletcher, whose partner is 18 weeks pregnant, admitted breaking the terms of his Criminal Anti Social Behaviour Order and was put back behind bars by Judge John Warner who told him: “You deliberately, defiantly and flagrantly defied the order and if I do not send you to prison it would act as a green light for you to carry on in the same way.

“You knew exactly what you were doing and realised you were likely to go to prison as a result.

“No doubt, you hope to be regarded as a martyr to your cause, but this punishment has nothing to do with preventing you from holding extremist view.

After sentencing, Detective Chief Supt Sue Southern, head of West Midlands CTU, said: “Fletcher blatantly flouted the conditions the court imposed on him by posting racist and anti-Semitic comments.

“We understand how offensive and distressing this type of behaviour can be and worked to bring him before the courts for a second time.

“West Midlands Police takes all forms of extremism seriously and we urge anyone with any concerns to contact us on 101.”

Express & Star

Two men associated with the English Defence League have been jailed following a ‘very serious and frightening’ mass brawl at a Sheffield city centre pub.

The fight at The Howard pub on Howard Street near Sheffield railway station involved members of the EDL and Unite Against Fascism and took place in front of frightened onlookers.

It happened at around 3pm on Saturday, May 10, last year, shortly after demonstrations by both groups in Rotherham had finished.

Mark Johnson, 34, and Derek Hemphill, 47, both from Huddersfield, were jailed for 12 months and one day at Sheffield Crown Court today after previously admitting charges of affray.

They were given six months each for affray, with time added to their jail terms for both separately breaching suspended sentences for past offences.

Johnson was caught on camera punching a member of the UAF a number of times, while Hemphill was seen on video delivering several kicks.

Fellow EDL member Adam Storey, 32, from Brushfield Grove in Frecheville, Sheffield, was given a 12 month community order and will have to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work after also admitting affray. He was also ordered to pay £300 compensation to the pub.

Storey was seen on CCTV delivering stamping kicks towards a man being held by others.

Hayley Ellis, 36, from Leeds, admitted a public order offence after being caught on CCTV kicking a member of the UAF in the back. She was given a 12 month community order, will have to carry out 40 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £200 compensation.

Glasses, snooker balls and chairs were all thrown during the wider disorder, with one member of the UAF having a glass smashed over his head.

Around £1,000 of damage was caused to the pub, with fighting spilling out on to the street outside the pub.

Witnesses said it had been a scene of ‘chaos’, with members of the public left fearing for their safety as the two groups clashed.

Sheffield Crown Court heard today that the fight had been sparked by members of the UAF coming into the pub with their faces covered while a small group of the EDL, including Johnson, had been inside drinking.

One member of the UAF, who has not been identified, went up to the group and asked them to leave the pub.

Johnson, who is mixed race, claimed when he started to confront the group, one called him a ‘race traitor’ – resulting in the violence starting.

Other members of the EDL who had been by the station ran up to the pub to get involved in the fighting, which spilled out on to the street.

Ian Goldsack, prosecuting, said tables had been overthrown, with chairs, stools, glasses and pool balls all thrown within the pub.

A window was broken and hundreds of pounds worth of damage caused to walls, ceilings and two chairs.

Mr Goldsack said one witness described seeing a member of the UAF having a glass smashed over his head before being dragged outside and assaulted.

The court heard one member of the UAF called Samuel Ross suffered a gash to his head during the fighting. Ross has previously been given a conditional discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice in relation to the case after he sent text messages to other members of the UAF asking what he should tell the police about what happened.

Sentencing, Judge Robert Moore said it had been a ‘very serious and frightening disturbance’ in which all four defendants had played a part.

But he added that problems had been caused by the UAF provoking the small number of EDL members inside the pub, resulting in the fighting starting.

Investigating officer Police Constable Chris Wright from Rotherham said: “Today marks the culmination of a lengthy investigation into violent disorder and I am pleased with the result at court today.

“Even though the demonstration in Rotherham concluded peacefully, a group of individuals seemed intent on violent disorder.

“These four endangered the safety of members of the public who were enjoying a drink in a Sheffield pub that day. It is lucky that nobody was seriously injured as a result of their reckless actions.

“I hope this case serves as a warning to those individuals who seek to engage in violent disorder that we will not tolerate this behaviour.”

Sheffield Telegraph