Man remanded in custody after protest

Dorset Police arrested Jason Francis on Thursday following protests in Weymouth on Sunday

A man has been remanded in custody after being charged with violent disorder and assault by beating of an emergency worker.

Jason Francis, 38, of Meadow View Road in Weymouth, was arrested on Thursday and later charged following protests in the town on Sunday.

He will appear at Bournemouth Crown Court on 12 August.

It comes after an estimated 400 anti-immigration protesters gathered at the seafront on Sunday. There were also about 200 Stand Up to Racism demonstrators.

Two police officers were injured during confrontation between the two groups.

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Callaghan said: "Our approach to recent demonstrations has been clear, we will facilitate safe and legal protest but we must balance this with minimising impact on our communities.

"Where individuals are suspected of committing public order or criminal offences, we will deal with this robustly as this will not be tolerated."

He said there was a team of officers now dedicated to reviewing crime reports and video footage of protest activity.

"These will be swiftly investigated with suspected offenders being put before the courts," he added.

"We are working closely with the Crown Prosecution Service in order to seek swift justice."

The arrest follows a week of disturbances in parts of England and Northern Ireland after the fatal stabbing of three girls in Southport - with unrest fuelled by misinformation online.

There have outbreaks of violence in towns and cities across England and in Northern Ireland, including Plymouth, Sunderland, Belfast, Rotherham, Manchester and London.

On Wednesday, thousands of counter-protesters took to the streets, with thousands of police deployed across England poised for more than 100 possible events.