Sister of grandfather, 61, who died in jail after being locked up for rioting slams the Prime Minister in foul-mouthed on-line publish

The sister of a grandfather who died in prison after being jailed for rioting has slammed the Prime Minister for locking him up – by writing on Facebook F*** you Starmer.

Peter Lynch, 61, is believed to have taken his own life on Saturday night at HMP Moorland, near Doncaster in South Yorkshire.

Mr Lynch, described as a ‘conspiracy theorist’ at his court hearing, was locked up for 32 months for being part of a mob which gathered outside the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham, South Yorks, in August. But his family insist he was ‘not a criminal’ and should ‘not have been in a prison cell’.

Mr Lynch’s sister, Kathleen Romanowski, 58, posted a poignant tribute to her brother on Facebook.

Alongside a caption ‘RIP Peter Lynch’, she linked to a music video of The Hollies hit ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother’ and took aim at Sir Keir.

Peter Lynch’s sister, Kath Romanowski (pictured), posted a tribute to her brother on Facebook

Alongside a caption which read ‘RIP Peter Lynch’, she took aim at Sir Keir Starmer

Peter Lynch, 61, died on Saturday at HMP Moorland near Doncaster, in south Yorkshire, where he was serving a two year and eight months prison term

Mr Lynch’s sister-in-law Jeanette Harris, 73, said the family were ‘absolutely devastated’.

She said: ‘It’s awful. It’s too upsetting. ‘Peter wasn’t a violent person. There’s no free speech anymore, is there? ‘He’s not a criminal. He was a working father and grandfather. A fantastic brother-in-law.

‘The last place he should have been in a prison cell. Any other time it would have been just a fine or a suspended sentence.

‘You wouldn’t get three years just for free speech. Jeanette, who is the sister of Mr Lynch’s wife Andrea, 58, added: ‘You see the people that have been released from prison early and the crimes they’ve committed. Peter had never been in trouble before.’

Sheffield Crown Court was told that Lynch went to the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham, on August 4 with a placard which called police officers, MPs and the media ‘corrupt’.

Body-worn police cameras recorded him screaming ‘you are protecting people who are killing our kids and raping them’ and ‘scum’ at police.

He had ‘a general conspiracy theory against anyone and any form of authority’, and his placard referenced the ‘deep state’ and space agency Nasa, the court heard.

Mr Lynch, who recently had a heart attack and had a history of health problems, including diabetes, thyroid issues and angina, had never before been imprisoned.

Brother Sean Lynch, 56, said: ‘He did nothing wrong. He shouted ‘scum’ at the police. He didn’t punch a police officer in an airport.’

Mr Lynch’s widow Andrea is being looked after by the eldest of their four sons at his home in Brampton, South Yorkshire. 

The grandfather went to the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers on August 4 waving a placard which accused police officers, MPs and the media of being ‘corrupt’

Mr Lynch’s widow Andrea (pictured) is reportedly being looked after by the eldest of their four sons at his home in Brampton

Flowers and cards were left at her nearby marital home in the Wath-upon-Dearne, where neighbours described Mr Lynch as a ‘kind man’.

One neighbour said: ‘Peter said some stupid things, yes, but does that really warrant almost three years in jail?

‘He wasn’t a criminal – he wasn’t a bad person at all. I would say he was a kind man actually. It’s unthinkable that someone in his health was put in prison for the first time. He was a victim of politics. He should never have been put in there.

‘Andrea is devastated. His sons are devastated. The whole family has been ripped apart.’

Police have made more than 1,500 arrests linked to the summer riots and with the Crown Prosecution Service have brought around 1,000 charges.

They include the wife of a Tory councillor jailed for 31 months after admitting stirring up racial hatred on the day of the Southport attacks.

Lucy Connolly, 41, encouraged people to set fire to hotels housing asylum seekers in a post on X in July. Mr Lynch’s death will now be investigated by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman.

A prison service spokesman said: ‘HMP Moorland prisoner, Peter Lynch died on 19/10/2024. As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.’