The court stated that the genuine anguish that was shown over the loss of young girls was “hijacked” and that the rioters had “disgraced and damaged” the reputations of the towns of Merseyside and Liverpool by their actions.
A total of three men have been sentenced to prison after they acknowledged their participation in the rioting that occurred in Southport in the aftermath of the deaths of three young girls.
It is the first time that the Crown Court has imposed penalties in connection with the disorder. This comes after the proceedings were expedited in response to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s vow of prompt retribution for those who were part of them.
In a court proceeding that took place on Tuesday, Derek Drummond, 58, from Southport, entered a guilty plea to the charges of violent disorder and assaulting an emergency worker in the town of Merseyside.
Bebe King, who was six years old, Elsie Dot Stancombe, who was seven years old, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, who was nine years old, were all killed earlier that day in an assault that took place at a dancing class with a Taylor Swift theme.
The court heard that several hundred people were involved in the disturbance that occurred outside of a mosque located on St. Luke’s Road. The disturbance persisted for several hours and resulted in the injuries of more than fifty law enforcement officers.
During the incident, the mob chanted “this is our f***ing country” and “scumbag bastards” before Drummond yelled “shithouses, shithouses” and attacked PC Thomas Ball in the face.
“I am sorry that I have let the children down.”
When Drummond turned himself in to the authorities, he stated that he “was a fool and was holding his hands up.” He went on to say, “I am absolutely ashamed of the way I have behaved.” As a result of my actions, I have failed to live up to the expectations of Southport, the children, and my family.
Prosecutors have stated that he has a “history of violence” due to the fact that he has been convicted of 14 of the 19 offenses that occurred in 1988.
Drummond served a sentence of three years in prison.
On Saturday evening, Liam Riley, who is 41 years old and hails from Kirkdale, was acknowledged for committing a violent disorder as well as a racially aggravated public order offense in the city center of Liverpool.
According to the testimony presented in court, he traveled to the city while wearing a St. George’s flag draped over his neck. Prior to being involved in a group of approximately one hundred individuals who were aggressively yelling and throwing rocks and bottles, he had passed through four or five pubs.
“Without a doubt, I was intoxicated.”
Chris Taylor, the prosecutor, stated that he was “clearly drunk” when he was arrested and that he got hostile toward the officer who was making the arrest. He referred to the officer as a “traitor” and a “Muslim lover.”
Riley also “made comments about Muslims and immigrants” and “expressed a view that both were to blame for the tragic events that occurred in Southport,” according to the statement. Riley also referred to other police officers as “retards.”
On a subsequent occasion, he stated that he “didn’t like illegals coming over,” but he was not a member of any political organization.
Riley was sentenced to twenty months in jail, despite the fact that he has never been convicted of a crime other than two cautions.
Declan Geiran, who is 29 years old and hails from Liverpool, has acknowledged committing acts of violent disorder and arson in connection with the rioting that occurred in the city center of Liverpool on Saturday afternoon.
He was captured on CCTV setting fire to a police van before sitting down and staring “casually” back at what he had done, and when detained, he was discovered with lighters, the court heard.
Geiran denied having “negative feelings” regarding immigrants, and the prosecutor claimed the “motivation was to cause damage” by hitting the police van, which was written off and will cost more than £32,000 to replace.
He was incarcerated for two and a half years.
He was sentenced to 28 months on riot-related offenses, plus an additional two months for sending threatening messages to a woman, for a total of 30 months.
Brendan Carville, defending Riley and Geiran, stated that neither were organizers and “they are not political.”
‘Appalled, horrified, and profoundly disturbed’
Judge Andrew Menary KC further stated that “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 neighborhoods.” .
The judge stated that others used the young girls’ deaths as “an opportunity to sow division and hatred” and distributed false information about the nationality, race, and putative religion of the alleged assailant, who was eventually identified as Axel Rudakubana and was born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents.
The judge stated that “the genuine and collective grief of the residents of Southport was hijacked” and that the three individuals “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,” the prosecutor stated.
The prime minister hopes this week’s punishments send a “powerful message” to those involved in rioting as authorities prepare for potential unrest across the country tonight.
Sentences are the ‘tip of the iceberg’
Speaking outside court, senior district Crown prosecutor Jonathan Egan said: “Today, the first jail terms were given down for individuals involved in the widespread and abhorrent disturbance we witnessed in Southport and Liverpool last week.
“Drummond, Riley, and Geiran’s deeds would have created panic, revulsion, and disorder in their respective communities.
“The three men sentenced today are only the tip of the iceberg and the beginning of a very painful process for many who foolishly chose to engage in violent unrest.” Many of those involved will face lengthy prison sentences.
‘Unprecedented’ hostility toward cops
Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy stated in a statement read in court that 93 officers had been hurt, with one receiving fractures to both legs and others having their teeth knocked out and sustaining a fractured jaw in an “unprecedented” degree of brutality.
She claimed it was “shocking to hear” the impact, with some police “waking up in the night with panic attacks” and others describing the “fear they felt” of not returning safely home to their families.
Authorities have “expressed disbelief officers haven’t been killed as a result of the appalling scenes of violence,” according to her.