Teenager believed to be first rioter jailed after widespread disorder

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A teenager who smashed police cars during disorder in Bolton is believed to have become the first person to be jailed after riots across England and Wales.

James Nelson, 18, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to causing criminal damage on Sunday, Greater Manchester Police said.

He was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment at Manchester Magistrates’ Court, the force added.

Another man involved in the violent protest, 28-year-old Liam Powell, avoided jail as he was given a 12-month community order which will be in place until August 2025.

Police said he admitted being in possession of cocaine during the disorder.

Nelson, of Victoria Road, Horwich, was one of a number of suspected rioters who appeared in court on Tuesday after widespread violence in parts of the country over the past week.

A number of people charged with violent disorder have already pleaded guilty.

After an appearance at Leeds Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, a Facebook user indicated a guilty plea to using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour to stir up racial hatred.

Jordan Parlour indicated he admitted posting on the social media platform between August 1 and 5 in connection with violent disorder across the country.

His case was sent to Leeds Crown Court for sentencing, a spokeswoman for HM Courts & Tribunals Service said.

Self-employed builder Joshua Simpson became the first person to be convicted following rioting outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham after he admitted assaulting a police officer.

Sheffield Magistrates’ Court heard that Simpson, 25, was abusive to police before he kicked a riot shield, forcing it back on to an officer’s leg.

The defendant admitted assault of an emergency worker.

He was remanded in custody by Deputy District Judge Simon Blakebrough who asked for a pre-sentence report to be prepared before he is sentenced on August 27.

The judge said he could not rule out a prison sentence for Simpson, who said he is homeless.

Three other men – Christopher Rodgers, 38, of Millmoor Road, Barnsley; Liam Grey, 20, of Randerson Drive, Kilnhurst, Mexborough, South Yorkshire; and Lee Crisp, 42, of Mount Road, Grimethorpe, Barnsley – denied a charge of violent disorder in connection with the same incident.

The court heard that Rodgers is accused of being part of a group that was throwing missiles at police and then blocked the way as a line of officers moved forward.

He was bitten by a police dog before he was arrested, the court heard.

Two boys aged 16 and 17 also charged with violent disorder, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were not required to enter a plea on Tuesday.

In Liverpool, a judge told one man he had a “real prospect of a custodial sentence” due to the “serious disorder” he had been a part of.

Dylan Carey, 26, of Castle Hill Road in Hindley, Greater Manchester, pleaded guilty at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court to violent disorder in Southport last Tuesday.

Joshua Sanderson-Kirk, prosecuting, said police were outside a mosque in St Luke’s Road when a “hostile” crowd of about 200 people came towards them chanting “who the f*** is Allah”.

He said: “The crowd became more angry and began surging forward. Several of the crowd were shouting ‘why are you protecting them?’.”

Carey, who was identified by officers from footage on social media, kicked a police van and threw something towards it.

The defendant, who has no previous convictions, was remanded in custody to appear at Liverpool Crown Court on August 12, with District Judge Timothy Boswell saying: “Plainly, given the serious disorder Mr Carey has been a part of, there is a real prospect of an immediate custodial sentence.”

Also at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court, a 15-year-old boy pleaded guilty to violent disorder in the city centre on Saturday after he was identified from a TikTok video.

Footage played in court showed the youth among a crowd of people becoming involved in a confrontation and taking his jacket and top off.

Mr Sanderson-Kirk said: “He picks up a paving slab and throws it at a member of the public.”

The boy, whose mother was in court, was granted bail with a condition not to enter the city centre as his case was adjourned until September 17.

In Bristol, business owner Ashley Harris, of Chipperfield Drive, Kingswood, was remanded in custody charged over violence in the city centre on Saturday.

During different incidents, the 36-year-old is accused of throwing punches at two counter-protesters, squaring up to police officers, encouraging crowds to move forward and throwing a can.

Harris, who has a scaffolding and roofing business, entered no plea at Bristol Magistrates’ Court and was remanded in custody to appear before the city’s crown court on September 9.

Cleveland Police said 28 people are due to appear at Teesside Magistrates’ Court charged with violent disorder and other offences after violence in Middlesbrough on Sunday.

The force said the court had set aside a remand court to deal with those appearing on Tuesday.

Amongst them was Stacy Vint, 34, who admitted violent disorder after pushing a burning wheelie bin into a row of police officers before falling to the ground and being arrested.

Some of the 28 denied offences, including Jamie Govan, who allegedly swung his arms and kicked his legs out at police who “resorted to using leg restraints”, and Ashley Ferguson, 33, who is accused of damaging property with a 4ft wooden pole.

After disorder in Sunderland, 21-year-old Bradley Makin became the fourth person to admit violent disorder, as well as possession of cocaine and heroin, Northumbria Police said.

Eight people have been charged over disturbances during protests in Nottingham city centre.

Nottinghamshire Police arrested 15 people at a protest in Old Market Square on Saturday, with one woman and seven men aged between 18 and 46 charged with a variety of crimes, including public order, weapon offences and assaulting an emergency worker.

Lancashire Constabulary said Dominic Stanbridge, 31, of Highland Drive, Buckshaw, and a 16-year-old boy have been charged with violent disorder after the trouble in Bolton, and another 16-year-old boy has been charged with being in possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

The widespread disorder across the country followed the fatal stabbings of three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club in Southport last week.

Four men appeared in court on Monday to face charges linked to violence in Belfast on Saturday, condemned by judges as “absolutely disgraceful”.

Justice minister Heidi Alexander said the Government will bring more than 500 additional prison places into use to deal with rioting, and 6,000 specialist police officers are at the ready.

She told LBC that courts could begin sitting “through the evening, the night, at weekends” to swiftly prosecute rioters.