Two dads who set fires at Rotherham asylum hotel 'set dreadful examples for their children,' scolds judge

Plumbing engineer Mason Lowe , 28, of Lowfield Road, Bolton-upon-Dearne, was days away from becoming a father for a second time when he joined in the attacks on a Holiday Inn Express in Manvers, Rotherham, during a riot on August 4.

His heavily pregnant partner shouted at him to come home during the widespread disorder, Sheffield Crown Court heard.

Trainee barber Morgan Heeley also a father of two, from Margaret Road, Darfield, Barnsley, also joined the fray in which police officers tried to prevent the building from being set alight with terrified staff and asylum seekers inside.

Now, both men have admitted arson and violent disorder.

Judge Jeremy Richardson, who has dealt with more than 60 people for their involvement in the Rotherham disorder, said: "Since September of last year, I have passed sentence upon many men who were involved in the public disorder at Manvers on August 4 last.

"Some have been idle wasters, others, including yourselves, have had jobs.

"Others, including yourselves, have had families.

"In each of your cases you have young children.

"What a dreadful example to those children who one day, young though they are now, will read about what you each did on that dreadful day last August.

"I hope you are both ashamed of what you did."

The judge said they were facing long sentences and he wanted them to think about what they have "thrown away".

Lowe turned up at the hotel on a quad bike. The car his partner tried to get him to leave the scene in was a Mercedes. Judge Richardson called the vehicle "the hallmark of affluence.”

"All of that has been thrown away and whilst you are in prison I want you to reflect upon the hardship you have each caused to your partners and the children.

"They will suffer and I don't suppose for one moment you gave a thought to any of that when you were indulging in arson and the very serious disorder."

Joseph Bell, prosecuting, said the violence at the hotel lasted for 12 hours and around 400 people turned up.

A large bin was set on fire and placed beside a fire door.

Lowe, wearing a camouflage mask, propped up a large sheet of chipboard against the fire door preventing people inside from deploying a fire extinguisher on the smouldering bin.

He was seen to goad police and pushed out at an officer.

Heeley, 26, shoved over a female officer, smashed a large hotel window which raised a cheer from the crowd, tried to set fire to hotel curtains, opened a door on a police riot van, threw missiles at officers and used a fire extinguisher on police.

Video footage also showed him adding a burning item to a smouldering bin which was beside the fire door.

Watching the video of the mob violence, the judge said it was "extraordinary" that someone - not one of the defendants - brought a child along to see the trouble.

Judge Richardson also referred to the bravery of the officers inside the hotel that day who were trying desperately to keep the rioters out.

"If they had got inside, goodness knows what might have happened," he said.

Ian West , for Lowe, said references described him as a "brilliant father".

The judge commented: "They had a comfortable life and he has now absolutely sabotaged it."

Rebecca Tanner , for Heeley, said he had been enjoying his first consistent employment learning how to be a barber.

The judge said: "He has thrown away a form of apprenticeship."

He added that it was "beyond comprehension" that someone who enjoyed spending time with his daughter would not be in a park elsewhere in Rotherham , on what was a nice day.

"Instead of doing what a reasonable father should do, there he is lobbing missiles at police officers and partaking in arson where many, many people's lives were in danger," Judge Richardson said.

The judge will pass sentence on Monday afternoon (February 24).