Prosecutors warn rioters as far-right thugs are jailed

Prosecutors warned yesterday that three far-right thugs handed heavy sentences over nationwide unrest were just “the tip of the iceberg” as the crackdown on rioters continued.

- TARA COBHAM

As the three men became the first to be jailed over the Southport and Liverpool riots, Sir Keir Starmer pointed to their cases as an example of how perpetrators of the disorder breaking out across the UK’s streets “will face the full force of the law” after “swift action” from authorities. Prosecutors also warned “those who stir up hate online”.

Police were braced for more than 100 protests in 41 of the 43 force areas in England and Wales last night as far-right groups targeted immigration services. Officers were also expecting more than 30 counter-protests, as 6,000 riot officers prepared for another night of potential disorder. More than 1,300 specialist public order officers were ready to be deployed across London alone.

The total number of people charged over the unrest in England and in Northern Ireland had reached more than 140 yesterday, the Crown Prosecution Service said, as police chiefs continued to warn rioters they could “expect a knock at the door”. The National Police Chiefs’ Council said they expected that number to rise “significantly” in the coming days, as officers looked to make further arrests.

A Downing Street spokesperson said the large number of courtroom appearances and arrests – already more than 420 – were “just the start”. They added: “Our criminal justice system is showing violent thuggery has no place on our streets.”

In the longest prison sentence handed down so far over the farright disorder, Derek Drummond, 58, was jailed for three years after punching a police officer during the riot that erupted in Southport following the fatal knife attack on three young girls in the town on 29 July.