Riots in UK latest: Man to appear in court charged with encouraging murder as cases continue

A man from Lancashire is due to appear court charged with encouraging an act of murder in connection with the violent disorder in Southport.

Andrew McIntyre, 39, will appear at Liverpool Crown Court today for encouraging an either way offence namely violent disorder and possession of a bladed article.

Violent disorder suspects across the country could face more serious charges following the recent nationwide unrest after a 15-year-old boy became the first person to be charged with riot.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at South Tyneside Youth Court on Thursday but his case was adjourned for two weeks following what a district judge called a “surprise” charging decision.

Rioting is an offence that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison – double that of a charge of violent disorder.

Riot charges are something the CPS is looking at nationally, as well as in the North East.

The boy, from Sunderland, is accused of riot following disorder in his home city on August 2 after having pleaded guilty to violent disorder and burglary on Saturday.

Chris Wilson, defending, said the situation “doesn’t sit comfortably with me, professionally or personally”, adding: “Clearly there are complex issues, and those issues may well have far wider repercussions.”

Gale Gilchrist, chief prosecutor for CPS North East, said: “This defendant is one of a number of individuals who we expect will be charged with riot.”

A senior officer at Northumbria Police said if an individual may have been involved in further criminality, they will “be brought before the courts again and charged with the most serious offence possible”.

Zaf Iqbal, co-chair of Sunderland Interfaith Forum, broke down in tears describing the racial abuse he had received.

Ricky Hardman, 41, of Norfolk Road, Barnsley, was jailed for two years and eight months after pleading guilty to violent disorder.

Hardman, in a black top and grey cargo trousers, on the left, below, was photographed with a group of men as objects were thrown towards police at the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham, South Yorkshire.

A father-of-three has been jailed for 18 months for violent disorder for taking part in a “far-right” protest in Weymouth.

Ian Vetier, 36, of Weymouth, played a “prominent” role among the group he described as the “Enough is enough” group which had gathered to confront a larger Stand Up To Racism group, Bournemouth Crown Court heard.

He admitted the offence at in relation to the demonstration on 4 August.

Police officers feared for their safety as they attempted to control the protest group who were shouting and swearing aggressively, the court was told.

A painter and decorator who was part of a mob that attacked a hotel housing asylum-seekers in Rotherham has been jailed for more than two years.

Billy Pemberton, 31, was given a sentence of two years and four months at Sheffield Crown Court on Thursday, South Yorkshire Police confirmed.

His case had been adjourned from Wednesday when the Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, heard how Pemberton was part of a group throwing missiles at a small group of “cornered” police outside the hotel, but there was no evidence he threw anything at the officers himself.

The court heard he was also spotted in a group that was chanting “who the f*** is Allah?”.

Pemberton picked up a police baton dropped by an officer and took it to a pub where he boasted about it, the court heard.

Gordon Stables, defending, said his client was “utterly dejected and remorseful” and faced losing his business, which employs three people, due to the prison sentence.

Pemberton, of Rosehill Road, Rawmarsh, admitted violent disorder at a previous hearing.

More than 60 officers were injured as they battled hundreds of people outside the hotel in the Manvers area of the town, with some gaining entry to the building and trying to set it alight with a burning bin.

You can remove the thugs from the street, but the conditions remain for misguided anger to froth over into violence once more, locals in the northeast tell Zoe Beaty: