Father-of-four rioter, 61, killed himself in jail hours after being handed papers for ‘unjust’ breach of jail guidelines whereas behind bars, inquest hears

A father-of-four rioter killed himself in jail just hours after being handed papers for an ‘unjust’ breach of prison rules while behind bars, an inquest has heard.

Peter Lynch was jailed for two years and eight months in August 2024 by a judge who heard how he was at the front of a mob outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham.

He died at HMP Moorland, South Yorkshire two months later and an inquest last year heard his death was a result of hanging.

But at a pre-inquest review on Thursday, it was revealed that Lynch had been placed on a charge for a breach of prison rules on the evening of October 18, 2024 – the night before his death.

No details of the allegation he faced were given but Doncaster’s senior coroner Nicola Mundy noted the rioter had felt it was ‘unjust’.

The coroner also said Lynch disagreed with the account of his actions given by officers in ‘adjudication papers’.

Ms Mundy said she will give her ruling on the inquest’s scope next week but indicated she wanted the jury to consider Lynch’s mental health and assessments from the point he was arrested and entered police custody.

The father-of-four was part of a crowd which gathered outside the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham on August 4, 2024.

Father-of-four rioter Peter Lynch, pictured, killed himself in jail just hours after being handed papers for an ‘unjust’ breach of prison rules while behind bars, an inquest has heard

Lynch pictured on police bodycam footage during anti-immigration riots in Rotherham in August 2024

Bodycam footage was shown to court of him shouting ‘you are protecting people who are killing our kids and raping them’ and ‘scum’ at police with riot shields.

He was filmed repeatedly challenging officers as they tried to push him back with shields, screaming ‘protect my children’ and yelling: ‘We are on the streets now to protect our kids.’ 

Lynch was also pictured holding a placard asserting the corruption of MPs, judges, the media and the police.

He was one of more than 100 men who have now been convicted at Sheffield Crown Court following the Rotherham riots, which left 64 police officers injured, as well as four dogs and a horse. 

The riots were stoked as misinformation about the Southport stabbing suspect circulated online – claiming, falsely, that he was a Muslim asylum seeker and giving a fake name.

It was shared by a number of high-profile far right figures online and a Russian-affiliated ‘news’ website.

At the sentencing hearing on August 22, 2024, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC heard how Lynch suffered from diabetes, thyroid issues and angina and had recently had a heart attack.

Judge Richardson told him: ‘You did not yourself attack any police officer, as far as can be detected, but what you did was encourage by your conduct others to behave violently and you were part of this mob.’

The grandfather pictured waving a placard which accused police officers, MPs and the media of being ‘corrupt’

He was one of more than 100 men who have now been convicted at Sheffield Crown Court following the Rotherham riots in August 2024, pictured

The riots were stoked as misinformation about the Southport stabbing suspect circulated online – claiming, falsely, that he was a Muslim asylum seeker and giving a fake name

The crown court heard how Lynch, from Wath upon Dearne, Rotherham, had been married for 36 years and had four adult children and three grandchildren.

During the sentencing, Lynch, who was called a ‘family man’, pleaded guilty to violent disorder after he shouted ‘racist and provocative remarks’ towards police and called asylum seekers ‘child killers’. 

He was working in the packing industry but was recently made unemployed, the barrister said. 

No date has yet been fixed for the full inquest.

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