UK riots: Tory councillor wife Lucy Connolly appears in court

A 16-year-old boy has admitted throwing an object towards mounted police during disorder in Bolton.

The boy pleaded guilty to a charge of violent disorder at Manchester Magistrates’ Court, sitting as a youth court, on Monday afternoon.

Prosecutor Tess Kenyon said the boy was seen on CCTV on August 4 throwing “an object towards mounted police officers who were trying to disperse protesters” and “walking towards an ongoing protest with a weapon in his hand”.

Ms Kenyon added that video footage also showed him aiding looters by “holding up shutters of a convenience store while others are trying to get into the store”.

In a statement read out to the court, the shop owner said: “I believe it was targeted because of racism against me.”

District Judge Joanne Hirst said the case was “a very serious matter” and told the boy: “You should be thoroughly ashamed of yourself.

“Your mum deserves better than this, we all deserve better.”

The boy was remanded to local authority accommodation and banned from Bolton town centre.

He will be sentenced at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on September 2.

Lucy Connolly, the wife of a Conservative Party councillor, has appeared in court accused of publishing an X post stirring up racial hatred against asylum seekers.

Connolly’s husband, West Northamptonshire councillor Raymond Connolly, watched from the public gallery in courtroom four at Northampton Crown Court as she was remanded in custody by Judge Adrienne Lucking KC.

The 41-year-old childminder, of Parkfield Avenue, Northampton, will reappear at the same court on September 2.

Connolly appeared in the dock wearing light blue jeans and a sleeveless green top for the 11-minute hearing and was not required to enter a plea to a charge of publishing threatening or abusive material intending to stir up racial hatred.

Two women have admitted being “agitators” in disorder outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Manchester on July 31.

Tracy Pearson, 53, and Michelle Jibson, 45, both pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Monday afternoon.

Prosecutor Tess Kenyon said the women, both of Kingsbridge Road, Manchester, had been “agitators” during the disturbances where items were thrown and racist abuse was directed towards the hotel.

Ms Kenyon said Pearson was seen “advancing towards police lines” during the disorder.

After being remanded into custody, Pearson shouted over the judge: “Don’t care. Freedom of speech is gone. Joke.”

Ms Kenyon said Jibson was seen to “strike out at a police officer” during the disorder.

Jibson was remanded into custody and will be sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on August 19.

A 16-year-old boy has denied taking part in “mass civil unrest” in Bolton on August 4.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded not guilty to a charge of violent disorder at Manchester Magistrates’ Court, sitting as a youth court, on Monday afternoon.

District Judge Joanne Hirst said the boy faced an “extremely serious” charge of being involved in “mass civil unrest” in Bolton town centre.

The boy was bailed and will next appear at Manchester Magistrates’ Court for a hearing on August 28.

Dylan Carey, 26, will miss the birth of his child after he was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court to 18 months in jail for violent disorder in Southport on July 30.

His pregnant girlfriend, Natasha Keenan, burst into tears in the public gallery as Carey was locked up for throwing various items, including a tin of paint, at a police van.

Carey, of Hindley, Greater Manchester, was also captured on CCTV footage launching two “fly-kicks” to the vehicle.

Sentencing, Judge Dennis Watson KC said: “You were an active and persistent participant. Those who choose to take part in mob violence can expect to receive significant sentences.

“The violence which was directed at the mosque and its community was racially aggravated.

“Violence was also directed at the police who were performing a difficult and dangerous task.

A teenager seen “celebrating” after throwing a rock which hit a police officer on the arm during riots in Darlington was detained for 18 months.

Cole Stewart, 18, was one of about 30 people who gathered outside a mosque in the north east town on August 5. Teesside Crown Court heard the group was chanting racist and far-right slogans.

Police formed a line separating the protesters from a group of about 60 Asian men who had gathered outside the mosque to protect it.

Stewart, of Victoria Road, Darlington, was seen breaking a large boulder into smaller rocks and throwing them towards officers.

When one rock hit an officer on the arm Stewart was seen “celebrating with his arms in the air”.

A judge said that earlier that day social media posts had encouraged people to gather on Gladstone Street for a “protest” with the intention of approaching a mosque.

In mitigation, the court heard Stewart had a “very difficult background” and denied using any racist language himself during the incident.

Sentencing him to 18 months detention in a young offenders institution, Judge Francis Laird KC said: “You chose to take part in an organised act of public disorder, indeed you were at the forefront of it.”

A 34-year-old man has admitted to sharing a video on TikTok in an effort to stir up racial hatred.

James Aspin, of Blyth, Northumberland, pleaded guilty to distributing a recording intending to stir up racial hatred during a hearing at Bedlington Magistrates’ Court.

A man has admitted throwing a pint of cider towards police officers during disorder in Manchester on August 3.

Graham Brookes, 42, pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Monday afternoon.

Prosecutor Tess Kenyon said Brookes was seen to “throw a plastic pint of liquid towards officers” that “appeared to have been aimed at a group of Asian males”.

Ms Kenyon said Brookes later accepted the liquid was fruit cider.

District Judge Joanne Hirst said Brookes had admitted “provocative and quite shameful, racist actions”.

Brookes was remanded into custody and will be sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on August 19.

Questions of Britishness and national identity lie at the heart of recent unrest, writes Dr Varun Uberoi