'That hotel is getting burned down today," grandfather-of-seven told police officers during Rotherham riots

As the total number of people charged in connection with the widespread violent disorder outside the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers Rotherham reached 54, five more men were sentenced and jailed at Sheffield Crown Court today for their roles in the riots.

All of the men were brought before South Yorkshire’s most senior judge, The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, during five separate Sheffield Crown Court hearings.

Judge Richardson invariably told the five different men their participation in the riots on August 4, 2024 was ‘shameful’ and that they had brought their prison sentences upon themselves.

During the course of today’s proceedings, he described the incident, during which 51 police officers, three police dogs and one police horse were injured, as being ‘racist from first to last’.

Judge Richardson also said he believes the incident is likely to have ‘historic notoriety,’ not just in the minds of those living in South Yorkshire, but across the country too.

Around 750 people are believed to have been present during the disorder, and in an update issued today South Yorkshire Police confirmed that 35 people of the 54 charged so far have been convicted, after entering guilty pleas.

Among those sentenced today is a dad-of-two whose criminal behaviour is likely to result in his family being made homeless, a well-respected veteran, a grandfather-of-seven and a man whose new wife is said to be ‘disgusted’ by his behaviour.

Sentencing of Peter Beard

A former solider who undertook tours of duty in Kosovo, Bosnia and Northern Ireland has been jailed for two-and-a-half years after admitting pushing aggressively at a line of police with riot shields as they tried to protect a hotel housing asylum seekers.

Father-of-three Peter Beard , 43, of Becknoll Road, Brampton Bierlow, Rotherham, was filmed by body-worn cameras at the front of a mob confronting officers outside the Holiday Inn Express.

The court heard how Beard's aggression toward the officers came at a critical time in the rioting after the hotel had been breached, attempts had been made to set fire to the building and outnumbered police were trying to disperse hundreds of people.

Recorder of Sheffield Judge Jeremy Richardson KC heard how Beard served in the Royal Green Jackets between 1998 and 2003, and the judge said he was "astonished" that the defendant had become involved as he had been "on the receiving end" of public order incidents as a peacekeeper. Sentencing former solider, Judge Richardson KC told him: "Your conduct was shameful, it was disgraceful and, in many respects, astonishing.

"The reason I say it was astonishing is because for many years you served in the British Army and undertook several tours of duty which involved peacekeeping operation.

"You have been, I'm told, on the receiving end of attacks by those indulging in public disorder in war zones.

"You know what it is like to be under attack and, yet, there you were attacking a police officer who was doing his duty.

"That's why I have described your conduct as astonishing.

"You have been, so to speak, a victim yourself and here you are falling for sentence as a perpetrator."

The judge said: "It really is astonishing that I am required to pass a sentence of that kind on an individual such as you.

"This is a disaster for you. It's a disaster for your family."

Sentencing of Michael Bailey 

A grandfather-of-seven ‘gleefully’ told a police officer ‘it’s happening today, that hotel’s getting burned down today’ during widespread disorder outside a Rotherham hotel housing asylum seekers. 

Sheffield Crown Court was shown body-worn footage of 50-year-old Michael Bailey, who was dressed in a red England shirt and seen to be drinking alcohol during parts of the disorder, making the comment to a police officer. 

Judge Richardson, who branded the utterance ‘racist,’ told Bailey: “You made that observation in the midst of disorder of a considerable degree. You said it gleefully to the police officer.

“You knew exactly what was going to happen, moreover it did happen.”

The court has previously heard of a large industrial bin being set alight and placed in the way of the hotel’s fire exit during the course of the disorder, following which attempts were made to place a second bin on top of it and to set that on fire. 

Bailey’s conduct did not end there, prosecutor, Joseph Bell, told the court, adding that Bailey was one of two men who lay in the road in an attempt to prevent a police dog van from moving off. 

Describing what happened next, Judge Richardson added: “A wing mirror had been damaged by others. You knocked it off. The driver, thus, couldn’t see what was going on behind him in the midst of this disorder. It was very unsafe, it was very dangerous.”

Bailey, of Hawthorne Drive, Bolton-upon-Dearne, Rotherham, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and criminal damage at Sheffield Magistrates' Court on August 19, 2024. 

Defending, Emma Coverley, told the court that Bailey, who has no other criminal convictions, saw information regarding a peaceful protest being shared online, and walked to the scene of the disorder alone. 

Ms Coverley stressed that while Bailey talked about the hotel being burned down he had ‘never indicated that he would be involved with that’. 

She told the court that Bailey has three adult children and seven grandchildren, for whom he plays a ‘very active role in their care’. 

Ms Coverley told the court that while Bailey’s wife, who was present in court to support him, works, he is the main breadwinner and their finances were likely to be detrimentally affected by a prison sentence. 

She agreed with Judge Richardson’s suggestion that the couple may now lose their house. 

Judge Richardson sentenced Bailey to two years, four months in custody, along with a 10-year criminal order, and told him: “It defies belief, almost, that a man aged 50 with a respectable family should behave as you did, but you did, and you must be punished.”

“You have brought ruin upon yourself, and upon your family. You are the architect of that disaster.”

Sentencing of Jordan Teal

A dad-of-two who had turned his life around after a troubled criminal past has been told his family should be ‘deeply ashamed’ of him, after he donned a balaclava and participated in several parts of the ‘notorious’ disorder at a Rotherham hotel, during which over 50 police officers were injured.  

Judge Richardson judged 27-year-old Jordan Teal to have played a part ‘in almost every theatre of activity and serious activity in particular’ during the events that unfolded outside the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers, Rotherham on August 4. 

The court heard how Teal’s partner, who has significant health problems, and the couple’s  two children may now be facing homelessness due to not being able to keep up with mortgage payments while he is behind bars. 

“You’ve wrecked your family,” said Judge Richardson, and told him that his family should be ‘deeply ashamed’ of him. 

Detailing Teal’s ‘extensive’ role, which he described as ‘racist from first to last,’ Judge Richardson continued: “You were outside the front of the hotel shouting abuse at the police officers, protecting the front entrance. You were wearing a balaclava, and you said - in a venomous fashion: “Police protecting paedophiles inside the hotel’. 

“You were also chanting, along with others: ‘Save our kids’. 

“You were being as provocative as provocative could be. You were uttering venomous comments towards the occupants of the hotel. You were intent on violence, that is self-evident.”

“You went around to an area of the hotel where there was a fence. You were part of a group who ripped up that fence. That fence was to be used, and indeed was used, as a form of missile.

“As part and parcel of that, you were part of a group who smashed windows and attacked, in a vicious, violent and deliberate fashion, that attacked the hotel, thereby terrifying the occupants.”

“Finally, you were part of a group after that, hurling high-octane abuse at police officers.”

Teal, aged 34, of Railway Terrace, Goldthorpe, Barnsley, pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Sheffield Magistrates' Court on August 19. 

Prosecutor, Joseph Bell, told the court that Teal has a criminal record consisting of 13 previous offences from nine convictions, the most recent of which was a decade ago in 2014. 

Defending Emma Coverley told the court that Teal is a father to two young children, aged two and seven, adding that his last conviction in 2014 had been a ‘turning point,’ following which he had found gainful work as a groundskeeper. 

“In fact that has allowed the family to buy a house,” Ms Coverley said. 

Ms Coverley detailed how Teal’s partner is unable to work because she has epilepsy, something she described as a ‘significant health problem,’ and said she had been reliant upon Teal’s care. 

She told the court that Teal’s partner was almost certainly going to be unable to make the mortgage payments on her own.

Jailing Teal for two years, eight months, Judge Richardson said: “[Your partner] is almost certainly going to be made homeless…your children will be put out of their house.”

“All of this misery - and make no mistake there will be misery - that you have caused your family is down to you. Public shaming, economic deprivation, they will suffer because of your actions.”

Judge Richardson also made Teal the subject of a 10-year criminal behaviour order.

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Sentencing of Lewis Merritt

A 27-year-old man, who involved himself in four separate parts of the disorder outside the Rotherham hotel housing asylum seekers, ‘endeavoured to camouflage his identity’ and prevent justice from being done, a Sheffield judge has said. 

The court heard how Lewis Merritt, who was dressed all in light blue, wore a balaclava for much of his involvement in the Rotherham riots, but was still identified by police.

“You were masked. That was an endeavour to camouflage your identity so police would not be able to arrest you and bring you to justice in this court,” Judge Richardson said. 

Prosecutor, Joseph Bell, said Merritt’s criminal behaviour began when he ‘grabbed hold’ of a police officer who was already on the ground, after being knocked down by others.  

Merritt denied being one of the individuals to knock her to the ground when he entered a guilty plea to the offence of assault of an emergency worker during a Sheffield Magistrates’ Court hearing on August 16. He also entered a guilty plea to a second offence of violent disorder during the same hearing. 

The second part of Merritt’s involvement, while he was still masked, related to what Judge Richardson described as an ‘attack’ upon a police dog van as it attempted to escape the disorder.  

“You were part of a group throwing missiles at police officers who were trying to keep law and order,” Judge Richardson said, detailing the third part of Merritt’s involvement. 

He continued: “When the hotel was eventually breached, windows were smashed, individuals go inside. You were well to the fore…it was a terrifying episode, it was a racist episode, it was truly shocking from first to last.”

Mr Bell told the court that Merritt, of Victoria Road, Balby, Doncaster, has 24 offences from 13 convictions on his record - the majority of which are for driving matters, including dangerous driving and was on licence from a 25-month sentence for the offence of burglary when he participated in the Rotherham disorder. 

Defending, Dermot Hughes said there was no ‘getting away’ from the seriousness of Merritt’s offending, adding that Merritt is ‘ashamed of himself’.

Mr Hughes said that prior to the disorder, Merritt had found work as a ‘chicken catcher of all things,’ and while Merritt knows he must stay where he is in custody, the work has been gained through a personal connection and he is ‘hopeful’ he may be able to return to it when he is released from custody. 

Judge Richardson sentenced Merritt to two years, eight months in custody, and made him the subject of a 10-year community order.

“You were one of those well to the fore in those four separate incidents that afternoon…it was shameful, it was disgusting and it must be punished,” Judge Richardson told Merritt. 

Sentencing of Lewis Lynch 

A Rotherham man who got married just three months ago was told his actions in the Rotherham disorder were likely to cause ‘ruination’ for his family.  

30-year-old Lewis Lynch was another this afternoon’s defendants who involved himself in multiple parts of the disorder at the Holiday Inn Express, despite having numerous responsibilities including a new wife and a promising job. 

Speaking after the court had been shown detailed video footage of Lynch’s involvement, Judge Richardson told him: “You are a married man. You married your wife in May of this year. She is - I am told - disgusted by what you did. Your family are present sitting in the public gallery of this Crown Court sitting in what can only be described as shocked silence, just as any decent person would be.”

He added: “You’ve truly wrecked your life, and the lives of many others.”

The court heard how Lynch, who had no criminal convictions, prior to the incident of widespread violence was caught on camera involving himself in five separate incidents, all of which Judge Richardson branded ‘comprehensively shameful, comprehensively violent, comprehensively racist’. 

Lynch, while wearing a mask, was seen to ‘confront police officers,’ before becoming involved in what has been termed as the ‘fire door incident’ where the hotel was breached and damaged was caused by some of those involved in the disorder. 

Judge Richardson said Lynch was part of a group, or ‘mob,’ who were seen carrying chairs and other items including fire extinguishers out of the hotel.

“Chairs, fire extinguishers, pieces of wood and other missiles were hurled at them,” Judge Richardson said, noting that the officers were at that time vastly outnumbered by members of the various people participating in the disorder. 

Judge Richardson said he regarded Lynch to have played a ‘prominent part’ of that group.

He added: “After that you sought to challenge officers in a particularly violent fashion.

The court heard how Lynch became involved in an incident involving a police dog van, which was prevented from leaving the area, before being shaken and rocked.

“You prevented the police vehicle from moving off,” Judge Richardson said, before adding: “There came a point when you joined in in rocking and shaking the vehicle, such that it could have been toppled over, causing injury to both those inside the vehicle and those outside.”

Lynch ‘kicked out’ at a police officer in the final part of his involvement, the court was told.

Lynch, aged 30, of Burman Road, Wath-Upon-Dearne, Rotherham, pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Sheffield Magistrates' Court on August 16. 

Defending, Dermot Hughes said Lynch earned a good wage in his role as a machine operator, and said Lynch knows that someone will now have to ‘fill his shoes’ while he is in custody, and he is likely to lose his job as a consequence. 

Mr Hughes said that from May this year, when Lynch was married, to now, Lynch had managed to go from ‘setting himself up for life to taking that all away’. 

“He will have ruination for years to come,” remarked Judge Richardson. 

Describing Lynch’s conduct as an ‘afternoon of madness,’ Mr Hughes suggested he had become involved out of ‘curiosity not ideology’ and has already suffered some ‘punishment’ through the shame he has brought upon his family. 

Judge Richardson sentenced Lynch to two years, eight months in custody, and handed him a 10-year criminal behaviour order.