'No regrets' rioter jailed for hotel disorder

Brad Westerman pleaded guilty to violent disorder

A man who told police he had "no regrets" after taking part in a riot in Rotherham has been jailed for two years and eight months.

Brad Westerman was filmed throwing items through a window of the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers on 4 August.

The 24-year-old, of Washington Road in Goldthorpe, Barnsley, previously admitted a charge of violent disorder.

Sentencing him at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC said Westerman had "wrecked his own life".

Westerman was arrested when police went to detain his friend and co-rioter Jordan Teal, who was at the same house.

Judge Richardson said the violence carried out by people such as Westerman was so severe, some injured police officers had still not returned to work.

Video was played to the court which showed Westerman jumping around in his grey hoody and shorts.

He was present when a bin was thrown through a window at the hotel, with the prosecution saying he was "front and centre" during the violence.

During the window fitter's arrest, he told officers he had "no regrets for what he had done".

The judge said this "vile attitude... reveals your mindset".

The case was held without Westerman's friends and family in the court following previous disorder in the public gallery when people were shouting during the hearing.

'Truly shocking'

During the violence, 64 police officers were injured with some not having returned to duty, Judge Richardson said.

Three police horses and a police dog were also injured and have since returned to work.

"The fact that that number of police officers were injured and the police animals were also injured is a measure of how serious this incident was," the judge added.

Westerman was told during sentencing that people in the hotel were "fearful for their lives" during the "truly shocking and outrageous incident".

"You richly deserve it," the judge added, as he jailed Westerman.

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