UK riots: 12-year-old boy charged over disorder as Tory councillor’s wife Lucy Connolly in court today

Sir Keir Starmer has cancelled his planned summer holiday this week after the riots and will instead spend his time working between Chequers and 10 Downing Street.

A No 10 spokesperson said: “The PM is not alone in this. We’ve seen many people over the course of the disorder having their leave cancelled to ensure we can respond. It is welcome that we’ve seen a de-escalation over the weekend but the work is not done.”

Several more people have been charged with violent disorder and will appear at Manchester City Magistrates’ Court in the coming days over violent protests around the country.

Aaron Davy, 18, Anthony Whitelegg, 40, Stephen Barrow, 54, David Whittaker, 46, Graham Brookes, 42, Tracy Pearson, 53, Lynden Parker, 26, Michelle Jibson, 45, Dane Freeman, 25, Waqas Mushtaq, 24, Lawrence Dunkerley, 37, and Nadeem Aslam, 31, will all appear at the court charged with violent disorder.

Thomas Ward, 35, has been charged with violent disorder and exposure and will appear at the same court, while Kye Darcey McGlade, 24, has been charged with violent disorder, criminal damage, and theft from a shop.

Scott Chadwick, 34, has been charged with theft and violent disorder, and will also appear at Manchester City Magistrates Court.

Rioters could be released from prison after serving 40 per cent of their sentence, as part of the early release scheme, Downing Street has said.

Asked whether the scheme will be changed to exclude those involved in unrest across the UK over recent weeks, a Number 10 spokeswoman said the early release of prisoners will be based on the sentence they have been given.

She continued: “There’s no specific exclusion for the rioters, the scheme is as previously set out by the Justice Secretary.”

“Also, we’re very clear that those who are convicted of serious violence and serve sentences of four years and over, or a terrorism offence, will be excluded,” she added.

The government previously set out legislation to reduce the amount of time inmates must spend in jail before they are automatically released, from 50% of their sentence to 40%.

A 41-year-old man has been jailed for two years and eight months at Sheffield Crown Court for his part in the rioting outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham.

Ricky Hardman, who runs a haulage business, was arrested after a picture of him brandishing a piece of wood during the disorder on Sunday August 4 was published in a national newspaper, a judge was told.

Video was also shown in court on Monday showing the defendant was part of a group attacking a police dog van during the violence outside the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers.

Recorder of Sheffield Judge Jeremy Richardson KC told Hardman: “The incident was part of wider national civic unrest fostered by some form of malignancy in society spread by malevolent users of social media.

“There’s no question the disorder was racist in character and extremely frightening for anyone who was there.”

Hardman, of Norfolk Road, Barnsley, admitted violent disorder last week.

He sat in the dock with one security guard wearing a black t-shirt and green trousers with his family watching from the public gallery.

Three further males have been charged following the violent disorder in Southport on Tuesday 30 July.

Harvey Gabbott, 21, of Hillside, Tarleton, and Paul Dryhurst, 33, of Gale Road, Litherland, have been charged with violent disorder and remanded to appear at Liverpool Magistrates Court today, Monday 12 August.

A 12-year-old male from Southport was also charged with violent disorder and remanded to appear at Merseyside Youth Court this morning.

It brings the total number of people charged in connection with the recent disorder in Southport and Liverpool to 30.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it has authorised South Wales Police to charge two men over Facebook posts that allegedly intended to stir up racial or religious hatred.

Geraint Boyce, 43, and Jamie Michael, 45, are accused of publishing threatening material on a Facebook account, contrary to Section 29C(1) of the Public Order Act 1986.

The CPS said the charges relate to Facebook posts on or around July 31 in relation to the widespread public disorder.

Boyce, of Penrhiw-Fer, and Michael, of Penygraig, are due to appear at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it has authorised Northumbria Police to charge a man with distributing a recording intending to stir up racial hatred.

James Aspin, 34, is accused of an offence contrary to Section 29E of the Public Order Act 1986.

The CPS said the charge relates to an alleged video published on TikTok on or before August 8, 2024.

Mr Aspin, of Blyth, Northumberland, is due to appear at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court today.

The Reform UK leader has accused Sir Keir Starmer of being a “threat to free speech” after the prime minister suggested the government would review social media laws in the wake of far-right riots.

But right-wing Mr Farage has criticised the move calling the PM to allow people to “speculate and ask questions” online.

Speaking on Fox News, the right-wing politician said: “Nobody should use any social media platform to spread hate or incite violence… I think all of us would agree with that free speech rule.

“But what we should be allowed to do on social media is to speculate. Is to ask questions. To try and put facts out that wake up the rest of the community

“When you’re engaged in something like that, you can never guarantee that what you say is 100 per cent true. Starmer by cracking down on that, poses the biggest threat to free speech we’ve seen in our history.”

A man has been charged with assaulting an emergency worker after a counter protest in Brighton.

Ian Ward, 53, of Old Mill Close, Portslade, will appear in court also accused of common assault and affray, after the 2,000-strong demonstration in the East Sussex city on August 7.

He has been remanded in custody and will appear at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

A Sussex Police spokesman added: “Police officers and PCSOs will continue to provide a visible and reassuring presence across the county and anyone with information or concerns is asked to speak to local officers or report online.”

People are asked to quote Operation Skylark when contacting the force via 101 or 999 in an emergency.