Teenager jailed over police van attack at riot

Kenzie Roughley pleaded guilty to violent disorder

A teenager who abused officers and rocked a police van during rioting in Rotherham has become the first person to be jailed following the disorder.

Kenzie Roughley, 18, of Barnsley Road, Pontefract, was identified after his fingerprints were found on the CCTV van, which he kicked and tried to get into as a “violent mob” attacked it, a court heard.

Sentencing him at Sheffield Crown Court, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC said: "The officer [in the van] was scared for his life and thought the vehicle would be turned over, which was clearly your aim."

Roughley was sentenced to two years and four months in a young offenders’ institution after pleading guilty to violent disorder.

Roughley was captured on body-worn video cameras abusing police

Judge Richardson told the defendant: “You were part of a violent mob of ignorant and violent individuals and you were playing your part to the full.

“You have brought shame on yourself and the town in which you live. You must be punished for what you did.”

Roughley was said to have gone to the gathering at the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers on Sunday with his father.

Police body-worn video played to the court showed him verbally abusing the officers, saying he hoped they would be "hit in the head with a brick”, the prosecution said.

A CCTV van was rocked by Roughley, the court was told

Children were seen on the video which Judge Richardson said would have been “truly frightening”.

None of Roughley’s family were in court for his sentencing and the judge remarked he had had a “deplorable upbringing”.

“I expect if the father attended [court] he’d be arrested," Judge Richardson said, referring to him possibly being seen on the video also abusing officers outside the hotel.

Roughley was arrested on Wednesday, pleaded guilty to violent disorder on Thursday at a hearing at the magistrates’ court, and jailed on Friday as part of fast- tracked justice following the nationwide disorder.

Despite turning 18 just a week ago, he committed the act while on police bail for a previous offence, the court heard.

Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.