Grandfather who joined far-right riot whereas on a purchasing journey jailed

A grandfather has been jailed for 20 months at Kingston-Upon-Hull Crown Court after he used a bicycle to fend off a police dog during a ‘hate-fuelled’ riot.

Michael Campbell, 56, was only in Hull city centre to buy himself a suit for a funeral when he became involved with the violence on August 3.

The ship loading supervisor used his bike as a ‘makeshift cordon to deflect police officers’ and ‘fend off a police dog’, before the animal bit him on the leg, the court was told.

During the 12 hours of ‘mob violence’, 11 police officers were injured and huge financial damage was caused when rioters gathered outside the Royal Hotel, Judge John Thackray KC said.

Sentencing Campbell, the judge described him as a ‘family man’ whose behaviour had been ‘out of character’.

Likewise two brothers who were at the front of a mob attacking police officers guarding a hotel housing more than 200 asylum seekers have each been jailed for three years. 

Luke and Paul Sissons were involved a range of violent incidents outside the Holiday Inn Express, in Manvers, Rotherham, on August 4, including an attack on a police dog van and violent confrontations with riot officers, Sheffield Crown Court heard on Friday.

Paul Sissons – who is a tunnelling team leader on the HS2 project – was filmed over a period of nearly four hours, first in a mob shouting at police and chanting ‘Tommy Robinson’, a judge was told. 

Sissons, 37, of Two Gates Way, Barnsley, was then captured as part of a group that violently rocked a police van with officers and a dog inside, and was later seen throwing missiles at a group of cornered officers.

Body-worn camera footage from an officer holding a riot shield was also shown to the court of Sissons angrily kicking and pushing at the police line as they tried to push the crowd back.

His brother Luke Sissons, 34, of The Green View, Shafton, Barnsley, was also part of the mob rocking the van, and footage was shown of him at the front of group goading officers with riot shields who were pinned against the hotel wall.

Video was also shown to the court of Luke Sissons talking to a police officer before the main violence began.

He tells the officer he is a ‘wanker’ and then asks him: ‘Why do you run away from immigrants, but when we do anything you f****** cosh us?’

Sissons also tells the officer: ‘I f****** hate police officers. You’re grasses,’ and: ‘I f****** hate immigrants.’

Dermot Hughes, defending both brothers, pointed out that they were both hanging their heads in shame on the videolink as the footage was shown to the judge.

He said they are both ‘thoroughly ashamed of their parts in this’.

Both men pleaded guilty to violent disorder at a previous hearing. 

The Sissons brothers are the latest of more than 20 men who have now been jailed at Sheffield Crown Court by Judge Jeremy Richardson KC following the Manvers disorder, which saw 58 police officers, three police dogs and a police horse injured, and involved rioters breaking into the hotel and trying to set the building alight.

Judge Jeremy Richardson KC also jailed a 47-year-old man yesterday for racially abusive shopkeeper in an incident ‘with the loosest of connections’ to the disorder in various towns in early August.

Drunken Darren Clayton screamed at a mini-mart owner in Barnsley ‘are you ready for tomorrow’ after taking his shirt off and subjecting the man to a stream of racist abuse. 

The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, heard how Clayton shouted at the man on August 7 ‘what is your nationality’, ‘where do you come from’ and ‘this is my town, my country’.

Clayton also said: ‘You need to go back to your country.’

The court heard how Clayton returned later and was caught on CCTV pushing over shelving outside the shop.

He also kicked out at police who arrested him nearby.

Clayton admitted racially aggravated harassment and criminal damage as well as assaulting an emergency worker. He was jailed for six months.

Sheffield Crown Court also heard the case of a self-employed gas fitter who watched hours of rioting outside a Rotherham hotel while filming the violence on Snapchat turned on officers when he was bitten by a police dog ‘in an area of particular tenderness’.

Christopher Rodgers, 38, of Millmoor Road, Barnsley, was jailed for two years on Friday by a judge who heard how he did nothing but film for most of the events of August 4 outside the Holiday Inn Express, which was housing more than 200 hours.

But, as officers were trying to clear pockets of those involved, Rodgers was in group of people who threw missiles at the police in a nearby housing estate.

The court heard how he was also aggressive towards officers as they were arresting him.

Adrian Strong, defending, told Judge Jeremy Richardson KC his client had seen the afternoon as something of a ‘social occasion’, adding: ‘There was chatting, there was talking, there was high spirits and alcohol started flowing.’

Mr Strong said his client’s attitude changed when he was bitten three times by police dogs, one ‘in an area of particular tenderness’.

The court heard how, after he was bitten by the dog, Rodgers shouted: ‘Why are you refusing to take an Englishman to hospital?’

The barrister said: ‘He can’t apologise enough for his behaviour on that day and to the police officers in particular.’

Just over 80 miles away at Liverpool Crown Court, a racist thug who hurled a window frame, bricks and bins at police after travelling almost 100 miles to join a violent mob in Southport, smirked as he was jailed on Friday.

Rory Allington-Mott was at the forefront of the 1000 strong hostile crowd near a mosque just an hour after a peaceful vigil in memory of the three little girls tragically killed the previous day while attending a Taylor Swift themed dance class. 

Told by a judge that there was no justification for the mob attack on the mosque and its community ‘who were completely blameless’, the 34-year-old shook his head in the dock.

‘You shake your head,’ said Judge Denis Watson, KC, ‘That shows your entrenched racist views which are repulsive to all right minded thinking people in this country.’

Allington-Mott received a 24 week prison sentence in July last year for that offence of racially or religiously aggravated criminal damage suspended for 12 months and is still on post sentence supervision.

Meanwhile two men who threw missiles at police during riots in Hull have been locked up after pleading guilty to violent disorder.

Ben Chapman, 20, threw a bottle at officers and attempted to remove a bin that was fixed to the ground during the disorder on August 3.

The court heard Chapman wanted to emphasise that he was not there for the initial protest and ‘got swept up by the violence of the mob’.

He was sentenced to 28 months detention in a young offenders institution for violent disorder, and an additional four months for a previous offence of assaulting an emergency worker.

Joshua Hobman, 33, who threw a drinks can at police and aimed a punch at an officer’s shield, was jailed for two years.

Judge John Thackray KC said Hobman’s sentence had been reduced as he had sole custody of his nine-year-old son.

At Teesside Crown Court a ‘well-balanced young man’ who kicked out at a police officer and set fire to a wheelie bin during widespread disorder in Middlesbrough has been jailed for 20 months.

Louis McGrother, 22, of South View Terrace, Middlesbrough, was filmed joining in attacks on police in the town on August 4.

When footage of his offending was published by the media, he handed himself in to police, bringing with him the clothes he wore that day, said Rachel Masters, prosecuting.

Joel Wootten, defending, said McGrother went along to the protest at the Cenotaph intending only to join a peaceful protest.

McGrother admitted a charge of violent disorder and Judge Francis Laird KC jailed him for 20 months.

The judge said he had read references from his employer, partner and mother which described ‘a well-balanced young man who takes his family responsibilities seriously, and who has a good work ethic’.