Haulage boss jailed for violent disorder in riot

Ricky Hardman earlier admitted violent disorder outside the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers

A man has been jailed for his part in the recent rioting outside a hotel housing asylum seekers near Rotherham.

Ricky Hardman was arrested after a picture of him brandishing a piece of wood during the disorder in Manvers on Sunday 4 August was published in a national newspaper, a judge heard.

At Sheffield Crown Court on Monday, Hardman, who runs a haulage business, was jailed for two years and eight months.

The 41-year-old, of Norfolk Road, Barnsley, had earlier admitted a charge of violent disorder.

A number of police officers were injured in the violence outside the hotel on Sunday 4 August

Video was shown in court showing Hardman was part of a group attacking a police dog van during the violence outside the Holiday Inn Express.

More than 50 police officers were injured in the incident.

At Sheffield Crown Court on Monday, Recorder of Sheffield Judge Jeremy Richardson KC told Hardman: "The incident was part of wider national civic unrest fostered by some form of malignancy in society spread by malevolent users of social media.

"There's no question the disorder was racist in character and extremely frightening for anyone who was there."

While he was sentenced, Hardman sat in the dock wearing a black t-shirt and green trousers and was accompanied by one security guard as his family watched on from the public gallery.

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