Teen sentenced for throwing rocks at police

Cole Stewart, 18, threw rocks at police during a protest targeting a mosque, a court has heard

An 18-year-old man who was caught on CCTV "celebrating" after throwing rocks at police near a mosque has been sentenced.

Appearing at Teesside Crown Court, Cole Stewart was sent to a young offenders' institution after previously pleading guilty to violent disorder.

Durham Police said his behaviour was "vile and destructive" and that he "relentlessly" launched missiles in Darlington during a night of unrest.

He was also spotted "celebrating with his hands in the air" as he threw the rocks, with one hitting a police officer on the arm, the court heard.

Cleveland Police officers were called to Gladstone Street in Darlington on 5 August after a crowd gathered near a mosque.

Stewart was arrested at the scene.

Judge Francis Laird told the hearing it was a racially-aggravated offence targeting a mosque.

Addressing the defendant, the judge said: "You were at the forefront of an organised act of public disorder.

"Police officers were attacked with missiles and the Muslim community in Darlington were left in fear for their personal safety and for their place of worship."

The hearing heard that the teenager had had a difficult upbringing and was considered "vulnerable".

Vacuum cleaner

Meanwhile, a man was jailed for two years and two months for throwing a vacuum cleaner through a window during the unrest.

Thomas Rogers, 22, from Middlesbrough, was seen in footage smashing the window of a residential property on Union Street in the centre of town, during the disorder on 4 August.

He had previously admitted violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon.

Thomas Rogers was jailed after he smashed a window in Middlesbrough

Prison 'inevitable'

At Teesside Magistrates' Court, an engineering graduate has been warned he faces an "inevitable" prison sentence after admitting violent disorder during a riot in Middlesbrough.

Noman Ahmed, 24, had gone to a mosque in the town amid rumours it was about to be attacked and "attached himself" to a group of men, the court heard.

His solicitor, Neil Douglas, told the court Ahmed, of Harrow Road, in the town, had "thrown a blow", though he did not make contact with the man he attempted to hit.

The incident was captured on CCTV and Ahmed handed himself in to Cleveland Police, the court heard.

District Judge Helen Cousins granted him bail but told him custody was "inevitable" when he is sentenced at Teesside Crown Court on Thursday.

Separately, two other Middlesbrough men appeared before at the magistrates' court in relation to disorder on the same day.

Matthew Sharp, 27, of Palmer Street, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assaulting an emergency worker, and 24-year-old Bradley Playford, of Shelley Road, admitted burglary during the disorder.

Both were remanded in custody and will be sentenced on Friday.

Also appearing at the magistrates' court, Declan Dixon, 22, of Salisbury Avenue, Wigan, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and possessing cocaine in Hartlepool on 31 July.

The apprentice electrician was remanded in custody to be sentenced at the crown court on Thursday.

Further arrests

Meanwhile, three more people have been arrested for violent disorder during the riot in Hartlepool.

Police said the men, aged 22, 38 and 42, were in custody awaiting questioning.

Assistant Chief Constable David Felton said: "For those who chose to take part in the violent disorder across Teesside, my message to you is this – don’t think that because you have not been arrested yet that you won’t be."