Judge shocked at riot footage of teenager in balaclava throwing flaming items at Rotherham hotel

The district judge who has been sentencing rioters at Sheffield's magistrates and youth courts said there is only one case he has dealt with that is worse than what this teenager did outside the Holiday Inn Express, in Manvers, Rotherham, on August 4.

The teenager could not look at the footage of him stoking a fire, throwing missiles and shouting a racial slur at police when it was played in the youth court yesterday.

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A woman who accompanied him to court burst into tears when the footage was played, with prosecutor Chantel Lowery-Greenfast forwarding through some of video clips so save court time, as it was so extensive.

District Judge Marcus Waite told him: "Other than one case, that's the worst behaviour I've seen. And, for that to be done by a balaclava-ed up 14-year-old, I have to say, I'm pretty shocked."

Judge Waite told the teenager: "If you were five years older, you'd been going to prison for years for what I have watched."

He said: "But we don't treat 14-year-olds like 19-year-olds."

The judge explained to the defendant, who lives in the Doncaster area, that - due to his age and his lack of any previous convictions - the option to send him to youth detention was closed.

He said a report from the Youth Justice service also suggested that putting him behind bars would probably increase, rather than decrease the chances of him re-offending in the future.

Instead, the judge gave him an intensive referral order for 12 months, which he said was the maximum he could issue.

Judge Waite told the boy: "Hopefully this is the first and last time that you are in court."

Mary Rose Macadam, defending, told the judge about some of the difficulties the boy had earlier in his life - but the youngster interrupted, saying: "That's not an excuse".

The court heard how the boy's actions were part of the mob violence outside the hotel housing more than 200 asylum seekers which lasted for hours and left more than 50 police officers injured, as well as four dogs and a horse.

At one point, the rioters broke into the hotel and tried to set the building alight as staff and resident barricaded themselves in, fearing they would die, the court was told.

The fire fuelled by the defendant, who admitted arson and violent disorder, was not the one which was started against one of the fire doors of the hotel, and was a short distance away from the building, in the middle of Manvers Way.

The judge was told that the boy was also caught on CCTV filling his pockets with stones from a nearby driveway to throw at police, and was also seen throwing wooden planks at officers.

He heard that the flaming items thrown at the heads of officers appeared to include the wheels of the wheelie bin.

Ms Macadam said: "He's remorseful, embarrassed and ashamed".

Three other teenagers were sentenced by Judge Waite on Wednesday after admitting violent disorder in relation to the Rotherham hotel incident.

Footage was shown in court of a 17-year-old pulling down fencing and using the wood to attack a line of police officers with shields.

He was also captured throwing objects at the hotel and kicking at police vans, which were being attacked by a large group.

Judge Waite said he was "perplexed, frankly" as he tried to reconcile the "appalling behaviour" he saw on the footage with what he heard about the teenager having loving parents, a promising job and being a musician in a band.

Mr Waite said his primary duty was to stop the teenager reoffending and he said he was persuaded by a report from the Youth Justice Service which said that jailing the youngster would be more likely to put him into contact with persistent offenders.

Giving him a 12-month intensive referral order, he said that although the offence was racially aggravated because of the actions of the mob as a whole, he agreed that the defendant was not politically motivated.

The judge also heard how a 15-year-old boy began screaming and swearing at officers after he spotted a friend being bitten by a police dog.

He admitted throwing items at the officers but he said he did not go near the hotel itself.

The court heard that the boy, who lives in the Barnsley area, went to Manvers with friends after seeing the events unfolding on social media.

A 16-year-old boy also appeared before court after admitting throwing stones at police guarding the hotel and brandishing a cone at officers.

Both these boys were given a 12-month referral order.

A 16-year-old girl also admitted violent disorder at Sheffield Youth Court on Wednesday and was told she will be sentenced on October 30.