Man who played leading role in Southport riot jailed

A man armed with a bicycle who was bitten by a police dog and a demonstrator who stole an officer's riot shield during the riots are among the latest offenders to be jailed.

- TARA COBHAM

Judges up and down the country were again yesterday sentencing the perpetrators of the violence that erupted across the UK in the wake of the Southport mass stabbings on 29 July.

The crimes included violent disorder as well as racially aggravated offences, with prison sentences handed out, including three years and three months for a rioter who played a leading role in the Southport unrest.

Two brothers who were at the forefront of rioting outside a hotel housing more than 200 asylum seekers in Rotherham were among those jailed, while a 15-year-old boy was spared detention after admitting to using threatening or abusive words or behaviour.

A grandfather was one of a number of men imprisoned for their role in the unrest in Hull earlier this month.

Michael Campbell, 56, was jailed for 20 months at KingstonUpon-Hull Crown Court after he used a bicycle as a “makeshift cordon to deflect police officers” and to fend off a police dog before the animal bit him on the leg during the “hate-fuelled” 12-hour riot.

The ship loading supervisor, of Hull, was only in the city centre to buy himself a suit for a funeral when he became involved with the “mob violence”, the court heard, with the judge describing him as a “family man” whose behaviour had been “out of character”.

Daniel Mennell, 36, who was prominent at the front of the riot on 3 August, had pleaded guilty to violent disorder and was jailed for 27 months at the same court. The drunk labourer was seen taking a selfie with a stolen police riot shield and threw missiles at police.