Girl, 13, admits violent disorder at asylum hotel

A young person holding an object at a protest in Rotherham outside a hotel as fire burns in a bin.Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Riots spread in parts of the UK following the fatal stabbing of three girls

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A 13-year-old girl has been convicted of violent disorder following unrest outside a hotel housing asylum seekers during the riots.

She pleaded guilty to the charge after she was seen punching and kicking the entrance of the Potters International Hotel during a protest in Aldershot, Hampshire, on 31 July.

The youth, who can not be named for legal reasons, sat with her parents during the hearing at Basingstoke Magistrates' Court. She has been granted bail and will be sentenced next month.

The girl was one of 14 people convicted on Tuesday for their part in the disorder that spread across parts of the UK following the fatal stabbings of three girls in Southport. Another eight people were jailed.

Man looted cosmetics store

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John Honey, 25, was filmed looting several shops during the disorder in Hull city centre on 3 August

As of Monday, 975 arrests had been made and 546 charges had been brought in the wake of the unrest, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said.

On Monday, two 12-year-old boys became the youngest to be convicted following the disorder.

John Honey was convicted on Tuesday after looting stores in Hull, including cosmetics shop Lush where he was filmed walking around the store and filling a bag with products on 3 August.

The 25-year-old damaged nine vehicles during an attack on a garage and helped attack a car with three Romanian men in, forcing them to flee their vehicle.

The driver said he feared for his life after more than 100 “angry” men attempted to drag him from the car, punched him in the head and attempted to strike him with a metal bar.

Honey was also part of a group outside a hotel known to house asylum seekers. He was captured on footage throwing a missile at police and pushing a large wheelie bin at them.

He pleaded guilty to violent disorder, three charges of burglary and racially aggravated criminal damage.

The court also heard Honey asked a prison probation officer if they wanted his autograph as he is "famous and is all over social media". His sentencing was adjourned until Friday.

Teen threw lighted arrows at police

Image source, South Yorkshire Police
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Drew Jarvis threw objects towards police officers and the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers

Meanwhile, a 19-year-old has been jailed for three years after throwing bricks and lit arrows at police guarding a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham.

Drew Jarvis was told by a judge at Sheffield Crown Court: “Your conduct was shameful and it was disgraceful."

He told the police after his arrest, he went to the hotel because "they [asylum seekers] would be better off in their own country”.

Jarvis admitted one count of violent disorder.

According to BBC analysis, at least 120 people have been convicted so far. Of the more than 350 people charged, 201 have been charged with alleged violent disorder and 30 for allegedly assaulting an officer.

And of the of 50 sentences passed, two years has been the average sentence handed down, with three years four months being the highest.

Far-right protests and violence broke out in parts of the UK following the killing of three young girls in Southport. False claims spread online suggesting the suspect was an asylum seeker who arrived in Britain by boat.

Tory leadership hopeful Tom Tugendhat has criticised the government for not stopping the riots sooner with an "overwhelming police presence".

But Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has defended the government's response.

She told the BBC the government has responded "robustly" and "playing politics as part of a leadership bid is not helpful on this".

Ms Rayner added "some of the challenges we face" were "because we've had 14 years of failure of the Conservatives", and said the Tories "should accept some responsibility for that".