A couple who’ve been inseparable for a quarter of a century faced their first time apart after being banged up in prison for joining a ‘deplorable’ riot outside a hotel housing asylum seekers.
Tracy Pearson, 53, and Michelle Jibson, 45, rocked up to Oldham Road in Newton Heath with England flags tied around their waists. The scene turned ugly as missiles were lobbed at the hotel while coppers shielded the building.
A bus got caught in the crossfire, leaving the driver injured and hospitalised.
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(Image: GMP)
The lovebirds, together for 25 years, have been cooling their heels in the clink for over a month on remand, waiting to cop it for their part in the chaos on July 31. Pearson was heard spewing ‘racist’ slurs amidst the ruckus, while Jibson got handsy with a bobby in a scuffle.
Judge Patrick Field gave the mob’s antics a right dressing down, branding them ‘deplorable’. “This level of intolerance was deeply shaming to everybody who was involved,” he declared, reports the Manchester Evening News. But he reckoned the duo only played a bit part in the mayhem and decided they wouldn’t be thrown back in the slammer. They’re now set for a sweet reunion on the outside.
(Image: GMP)
Manchester Crown Court heard how Pearson was caught on camera during the fracas, hurling abuse at officers: “F*****g disgusting, the lot of you should be ashamed of yourselves! It’s f*****g our country! Immigrants that rape our kids and murder them! “.
The court was shown footage where Pearson is heard screaming as a man is led into the hotel by police: “Drag the c***! Dirty b*****d! “. She was also recorded joining in with chants of ‘Allah, Allah, who the f*** is Allah’ and ‘we want our country back’. With a history of resisting a police officer and disorderly behaviour for Pearson, and Jibson with a similar past offence, their actions were under scrutiny.
(Image: Manchester Evening News)
Judge Field remarked to Pearson, “I’m confident that you would not have dreamt of saying such things, if face to face with another person who wasn’t white,” highlighting the mob mentality. He noted the dangers of the ‘online world’, calling it ‘full of mischief and traps’, but believed the couple did not act with malice.
Jibson and Pearson, both from Kingsbridge Road, Harpurhey, confessed to violent disorder. Pearson received a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, while Jibson was given an 18-month community order.
Both were instructed to complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
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