Man sentenced to 30 months after leading ‘angry and intimidating’ mob

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A man who led an “angry and intimidating” mob through the streets of Blackpool during the wave of violence that erupted after the Southport killings has been jailed for 30 months.

Roger Haywood, 41, of Yew Tree Close, Blackpool was sentenced at Preston Crown Court on Friday after previously pleading guilty to two counts of assaulting an emergency worker and violent disorder on August 3 .

Three girls were killed and others injured in a mass stabbing at a dance class at a holiday club event in Southport in July.

Judge Robert Altham, the Recorder of Preston, told Haywood: “One cannot begin to imagine the grief and the despair suffered by the families of those young children killed and, indeed, injured.

“People from all communities who make up the British public offered solidarity by either laying flowers, standing in peaceful condolence or by silently and respectfully holding the bereaved families in their hearts and in their prayers.

“Whereas others, such as you, decided to usurp this terrible incident as an excuse for mindless drunken thuggery.”

Haywood encouraged a group of people to follow him, to various locations around Blackpool, including the Cenotaph, the Tower and the comedy carpet.

He was on the streets of Blackpool ready to cause violence and disorder on a sunny Saturday in the school holidays, the judge said.

Haywood’s involvement included attempting to pull the shutters up of a store in the Hounds Hill centre and assaulting a member of the security team.

Serious disorder which had already erupted that week meant everyone knew that “so-called demonstrations were pretext for violence and expressions of hate and there was no political or ideological basis for taking to the streets”, the judge said.

Haywood was part of an angry group which confronted police in a shopping area.

The judge said: “You repeatedly approached the police line, jabbing a finger at them and ignoring their many requests to move away.

“Next you were seen leading a large group down the promenade, some had flags and some had their faces covered.

“You were at the front with your hands above your head to beckon them on. You were clearly in the lead.

“You led this large group into a pedestrianised shopping area where there were families with young children.”

Haywood was seen at the forefront of “an ugly and intimidating scene” alongside a man who pushed a sign over, another person who was carrying a chair and hit out at rope barrier as another kicked at it, the court heard.

He was also seen trying to push headfirst through a police line to get to a group that was on the other side. He had to be pushed back twice by police.

His mob went into an indoor shopping centre as “brave security staff who were vastly outnumbered” accompanied the group to try and protect shoppers and staff, as people tried to get out of the way.

The judge said Haywood tried to stop the shutters going down at JD Sports and others joined in the attack as he was pushed away but a chair was thrown towards security officers.

A security officer suffered a “terrifying experience” as he was pushed against the shutters and repeatedly punched and hit in the face.

Police stopped a chanting Haywood from getting to the Cenotaph but he told them they were “outnumbered ten to one”, which was an “unmistakable threat to them”, the judge said.

He told Haywood that what he did next was “unforgivably dangerous” as he turned away from the officers  to face the shouting mob behind him, who were a significant distance from the police lines.

The judge said: “You shouted to them to the effect that the police would not let you through and then with your arms you beckoned them on to breach the police lines.

“The crowd moved forward in response and we hear the shout of missiles as at least one item was thrown at the police.

“Your aim was clear, you wanted to create a serious,  violent and dangerous incident.”

Haywood also took a loud hailer and tried to continue to try too lead the mob but was “too intoxicated” to work out how to use it.

He refused to get into the police van when arrested and kicked out at two officers, who were not seriously hurt.

The judge added: “Assaults on police officers in any circumstances are unacceptable, in these circumstances they were particularly serious.”