'Worst' hotel youth rioter sentenced in court

A teenager "viciously and unrelentingly" attacked police officers protecting a hotel housing asylum seekers, a court has heard.

The boy, 17, was "at the heart" of major disorder outside the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers, Rotherham, on 4 August, Sheffield Youth Court was told on Wednesday.

Prosecutor Owen Burns said the boy attacked police "with any weapon or object he could find" and was filmed throwing missiles and fireworks, using racist slurs and chanting "burn it down" in reference to the hotel.

The youth, who cannot be named due to his age, had previously pleaded guilty to violent disorder and has now been handed a 12-month intensive referral order.

The boy, who had no previous convictions, was also ordered to pay £400 in compensation to South Yorkshire Police.

About 400 people descended on the hotel in Rotherham, which was housing approximately 200 asylum seekers at the time.

The situation became increasingly violent as the day progressed, with bricks, fence posts and other missiles hurled at officers and multiple fires set around the building.

Extensive footage collected by police showed the youngster during various pockets of the violence, arming himself with fireworks, throwing them towards officers and smashing the window of a police van.

He was also captured attempting to tip over a police van, forcefully kicking against riot shields, throwing a brick against a hotel window, kicking over a wooden fence and using what was left of it "as ammunition".

Mr Burns told district judge Tim Spruce: "It is the Crown's case that he is on the very front lines of the attack.

"His assaults on the officers are sustained, unrelenting and vicious and carried out with any weapon and object he can find at the time.

"My submission is that his sole aim or purpose is to cause injury."

In mitigation, it was heard the boy was 16 at the time of the offence and had no racist views.

Since the riot last year, he had been focusing on his education and had become a father.

The court was told the teenager was "deeply sorry" for his actions and promised that "something like this will never happen again".

Judge Spruce told the youngster during the hearing that he had "only just been persuaded" to not impose an immediate custodial term.

"Since August I've dealt with many young people in your position," he said.

"I have to say, of all the young people, this is by far the worst violence I have seen."

The judge added: "This was overtly racist behaviour on your part. You might not be a racist but that's what it was."

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