UK Riots: Faces of Rioters Sentenced Across the Country

In the wake of violent unrest across England and Northern Ireland, the courts have been busy dealing with cases related to the recent riots.

The government have been following up on their stern warning, that those involved will encounter the “full force of the law.” Court cases are being expedited to emphasize the consequences of violent behaviour.

One notable incident involved a 26-year-old man who was sentenced today to three years in prison for assaulting a female police officer during a riot in Hull.

Nearly 400 people have faced charges related to the riots, making it the worst violent disorder the UK has seen in over a decade.

Among those convicted are individuals who assaulted police officers, damaged property, and engaged in violent clashes. As the courts continue their work, more names will be added to the list of those held accountable for their actions during this tumultuous period.

David Probert, a retired milkman from Broughton Way in Mill End, Hertfordshire, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and has been jailed for 14 months after his involvement in a far-right protest outside Downing Street.

The incident occurred during the ‘Enough is Enough’ protest organized by far-right leader Danny Tommo on July 31. Probert was captured on police body-worn camera footage and a video broadcast by Sky News, where he was seen ‘lunging and charging’ at officers.

Trevor Lloyd, a 49-year-old father-of-three from Oak Avenue, Rotherham, has been sentenced to three years in prison for his role in a mob that broke into a hotel housing asylum seekers near Rotherham. Lloyd, who admitted to violent disorder, filmed the incident on his phone as the hotel was breached on August 4. He then followed a group of men into the building.

Sheffield Crown Court reviewed TikTok footage showing the crowd breaking into the hotel, carrying furniture and fire extinguishers outside, and hurling them at a line of police officers, forcing them to retreat. Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, who has already sentenced several individuals related to the riot, described this footage as the “worst” he had witnessed.

Richard Adams, Lloyd’s defense attorney, explained that his client had initially gone to the area to shop at the Aldi supermarket next to the hotel but made the “foolish error” of getting involved in the disorder.

Ricky Hardman, a 41-year-old haulage business owner from Norfolk Road, Barnsley, has been sentenced to two years and eight months in prison.

His involvement in the recent rioting outside a hotel housing asylum seekers near Rotherham led to his arrest. A photograph showing him brandishing a piece of wood during the disorder in Manvers on Sunday, August 4, was widely circulated after being published in a national newspaper. At Sheffield Crown Court, Hardman admitted the charge of violent disorder, and the judge handed down the sentence

Connor Whiteley, 26, who kicked a female police officer to the ground during riots in Hull has pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assaulting an emergency worker after playing a “prominent role” in the “racist, hate-fuelled mob violence” that unfolded in the city on 3 August, Hull Crown Court heard. has been jailed for three years.

Julie Sweeney, 53 is jailed for 15 months after she admitted to sending a threatening Facebook message suggesting to “blow up a mosque with adults inside” on 3 August.

Daniel Russell, 47, from Bristol, was jailed for two years and eight months after he was seen on footage posted on social media attending an anti-immigration protest when he attacked a black man. He pleaded guilty to violent disorder.

Dominic Capaldi, 34, from Bristol, was sentenced to 34 months for violent disorder. After video footage showed Capaldi throwing items at police officers during protests in Bristol city centre on 3 August. To serve half of his 34-month sentence in custody, and remain on licence and liable for recall for the remainder.

52-year-old Warren Gilchrest, of North Road, Manchester, has pleaded guilty to violent disorder during unrest in Manchester city centre. He was “goading the crowd and encouraging violence” and “actively encouraging others” to assault a man during a gathering of a far-right protesters in Piccadilly Gardens on 3 August, Manchester Magistrates’ Court heard.

He was remanded into custody to be sentenced at Manchester Crown Court next week.

Glyn Guest, a 60-year-old man residing in Pearson Crescent, Wombwell, has been sentenced to two years and eight months in prison. His actions occurred during clashes between police and demonstrators outside a hotel housing asylum seekers near Rotherham on August 4.

Body-worn camera footage revealed that Guest repeatedly attempted to breach a line of police officers outside a Holiday Inn Express. Despite being pushed back by a riot shield six times, he grabbed another shield, causing an officer to fall to the floor—a moment met with cheers from the crowd.

The female officer, whose body-worn camera recorded the incident, described feeling “terrified for my safety” during the disorder. Over 50 police officers were injured, and there were attempts to storm and set fire to the building.

Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, the Recorder of Sheffield, condemned the conduct of the “mob,” labeling it “vile.” He directly addressed Guest, stating, “You were part of a violent mob, and you played your part to the full.”

Teenagers Charged in Connection with Recent Unrest

A 15-year-old boy faces charges of violent disorder following clashes between protesters and police in Bristol city centre on August 3. Detectives have been actively investigating the unrest that occurred on that day. Additionally, a 14-year-old boy has been charged with a public order offence related to disorder in Whitehall. The Metropolitan Police report that he is scheduled to appear at Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court later this month

Others sentenced.

Four violent offenders, who each played a role in the harmful disorder in Sunderland city centre last weekend, have been jailed today at Newcastle Crown Court.

1. Declan Geiran (29 years old)
   • Incident location: Liverpool
   • Convicted of: Violent disorder, setting fire to a police vehicle
   • Sentence: Two years and five months in prison
2. Derek Drummond (58 years old)
   • Incident location: Southport
   • Convicted of: Violent disorder, assaulting a police officer
   • Sentence: Three years in prison
3. Steven Mailen (54 years old)
   • Incident location: Hartlepool
   • Convicted of: Violent disorder
   • Sentence: Two years and two months in prison
4. John Paul O’Malley (43 years old)
   • Incident location: Southport
   • Convicted of: Violent disorder
   • Sentence: Two years and eight months in prison
5. William Nelson Morgan (69 years old)
   • Incident location: Liverpool
   • Convicted of: Violent disorder, possession of a weapon
   • Sentence: Two years and eight months in prison
6. Michael Williams (51 years old)
   • Incident location: Plymouth
   • Convicted of: Violent disorder
   • Sentence: Two years and eight months in prison
7. Adnan Ghafoor (31 years old)
   • Incident location: Leeds
   • Convicted of: Affray, breaching a suspended sentence
   • Sentence: Two years and six months in prison
8. Leanne Hodgson (43 years old)
   • Incident location: Sunderland
   • Convicted of: Violent disorder
   • Sentence: Two years and six months in prison
9. Tyler Kay (26 years old)
   • Incident location: Online
   • Convicted of: Inciting racial hatred online
   • Sentence: Three years and two months in prison

Misinformation Led to Tensions After Tragic Stabbing in Southport

On July 29, a horrifying knife attack unfolded during a Taylor Swift-themed dance and yoga event in Southport, England. Three young girls—Bebe King (six years old), Elsie Dot Stancombe (seven years old), and Alice da Silva Aguiar (nine years old)—lost their lives, while eight other children and two adults were injured1.

Later that day, authorities arrested a 17-year-old suspect from a nearby village. However, social media platforms quickly became a breeding ground for false information. Rumors circulated that the suspect was an immigrant. Additionally, there were baseless claims that he was Muslim. In reality, the suspect was born in Wales to Rwandan parents.

The following evening, over a thousand people gathered for a vigil in Southport to mourn the victims. However, tensions escalated when violence erupted in the town, eventually turning into a riot.

The next day, violent protests spread to London, Hartlepool, and Manchester, all linked to the events in Southport. Throughout the week, similar demonstrations occurred, with some targeting mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers1.

The tragedy highlighted the impact of misinformation on social media, leading to real-world consequences and exacerbating community divisions. Authorities and online platforms continue to grapple with how to address such toxic material online.

Sir Keir Starmer, former director of public prosecutions during the 2011 London riots, has labelled the perpetrators as “far-right thugs.” He has vowed that they will be held accountable under the full weight of legal measures. “strong policing and swift prosecutions” to deter others from joining the violence.

“This could have been so much worse,” a Downing Street adviser tells me. “People were trying to set fire to a hotel with people inside.”