Three men have been jailed after they admitted to their roles in rioting in the wake of the killing of three young girls in Southport.
The sentences are the first at the Crown Court over the disorder, after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer promised quick punishment for those involved.
Liam Riley, 41, from Kirkdale, admitted violent disorder and a racially aggravated public order offence in Liverpool city centre on Saturday night.
The court heard he went to the city wearing a St George’s flag draped around his neck and had been in four or five pubs before becoming involved in the disorder.
He was “clearly drunk” when arrested and became abusive towards the arresting officer who he called a “traitor” and a “Muslim lover”, prosecutor Chris Taylor said.
Riley called other officers “retards” and “made comments about Muslims and immigrants” and “expressed a view both were to blame for the tragic events in Southport,” he said.
He later said he “didn’t like illegals coming over” but wasn’t part of a political group.
Riley, who has no previous convictions but two previous cautions, was jailed for 20 months.
Derek Drummond, 58, from Southport, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assault of an emergency worker in Southport last Tuesday – the day after the three young girls were killed.
The court heard a group of up to 1,000 people were involved in the disorder outside a mosque in St Luke’s Road, which lasted for hours and saw some 50 police officers injured.
The crowd chanted “this is our f***ing country”, “shithouses, shithouses” and “scumbag bastards” before Drummond punched PC Thomas Ball in the face.
When Drummond was arrested he told police he “was a fool and was holding his hands up”. He told officers he was “deeply sorry to the people he has let down”, the court heard.
He has 14 previous convictions for 19 offences from 1988, which prosecutors said show a “history of violence”.
He was jailed for three years.
Declan Geiran, 29, from Liverpool, admitted violent disorder and arson over rioting in Liverpool city centre.
He was caught on CCTV using an implement to set a police van on fire and was found with three lighters when arrested.
He was jailed for two-and-a-half years.
He received 28 months for charges related to the riot – and a further two months for sending threatening messages to a woman, totalling 30 months.
Judge Andrew Menary KC said “every decent member of the community affected by these events will have been appalled, horrified and deeply disturbed about what had taken place in their neighbourhoods”.
The riots broke out in the wake of misinformation about the deaths of Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, six-year-old Bebe King and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, who were killed in an attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.
Eight other children and two adults were also injured and Axel Rudakubana – who was born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents – has appeared in court charged with three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder and one of possession of a bladed article.
The judge said some “saw this is an opportunity to sow division and hatred” and spread false information about the nationality, ethnicity and supposed religion of the alleged attacker.
“Of course, all this was complete nonsense but from that point on it has been used as a pretext for widespread public disorder,” he said.
The judge said “the genuine and collective grief of the residents of Southport was hijacked” and that the three men had “disgraced and damaged the reputations” of the town and Liverpool.
“Quite simply, those who deliberately participate in such disorder, causing injury, damage and fear to communities will inevitably be punished with sentences designed to deter others from similar activity,” he added.
The prime minister has said he hopes this week’s sentences will send a “powerful message” to anyone involved in rioting as police prepare for further potential unrest across the country tonight.
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Speaking outside court, senior district Crown prosecutor Jonathan Egan said: “Today, the first prison sentences have been handed down for offenders involved in the widespread and unacceptable disorder we saw in Southport and Liverpool last week.
“Drummond, Riley and Geiran’s actions would have caused panic, revulsion and chaos in their local communities.
“The three men sentenced today are the tip of the iceberg, and just the start of what will be a very painful process for many who foolishly chose to involve themselves in violent unrest. Many of those involved will be sent to prison for a long time.”
