Men jailed for violence outside Essex asylum hotel

Dean Smith, Martin Peagram and Stuart Williams all assaulted police officers trying to control crowds in Epping

Three men who pushed, punched and kicked police officers during protests outside The Bell Hotel in Epping have become the first to be jailed for the disorder.

Stuart Williams, 36, Dean Smith, 51, and Martin Peagram, 33, were part of a "peaceful protest that descended into serious public disorder" in the Essex town on 17 July, prosecutors said.

They were "motivated by hostilities" towards asylum seekers being housed at the hotel after one was charged with two sexual assaults, Chelmsford Crown Court was told.

Williams was jailed for two years and four months, Peagram for two years and two months and Smith for one year and 10 months. Each defendant admitted violent disorder.

Thousands of people attended anti-immigration protests and counter-demonstrations outside the hotel over summer, requiring a £1.54m policing operation, the court heard.

Hadush Kebatu had been arrested for sexually assaulting both a 14-year-old girl and a woman in Epping, which he was later jailed for.

Judge Jamie Sawyer said the manager of The Bell Hotel received an anonymous phone call on 17 July from a person asking "are you ready for tonight?".

Protests were planned on social media and attendees were told to "mask up and bring rage", the judge added, with about 500 people turning up that afternoon.

"Police officers were subject to sustained attacks for four hours" and were punched, pushed and kicked, said prosecutor Gordon Carse.

He said police vans were also damaged and constables "pelted with" bottles, eggs and fireworks.

A statement from a senior police officer, read to the court, said: "In my 20 years of policing, I have never witnessed this scale of disorder in Essex - and certainly not in a town like Epping."

'Shroud of patriotism'

Williams, of Thornwood, Epping, was identified by detectives in footage wearing a Union Jack flag as a cape, the court heard.

Mr Carse said: "That shroud of patriotism did little to hide his thuggish intent."

Williams "shoulder charged" the police line and adopted an "aggressive, boxer-like stance", Mr Carse continued.

Egged on by a gathered crowd, he then scaled a nearby school attended by children with special educational needs and disabilities, which suffered damage.

The arrival of counter-protesters heightened tensions, the prosecutor said

Smith, also from Epping, was seen among a "large group pushing and punching officers" with his face covered.

"He links arms with others at the front, gesturing for the crowd to move forward," Mr Carse said.

Referencing Peagram, from Loughton, Mr Carse continued: "He appears to be rather enjoying his time outside The Bell Hotel, a smile beaming across his face.

"He pushed and hits out at an officer as the crowd moves forward."

The prosecutor said businesses had to close during the protest and "worry, disruption and fear" was caused to residents.

He said the defendants were "motivated by hostilities to a racial group or a perceived racial group."

Policing protests outside The Bell Hotel had cost police £1.54m, the court was told

But Sam Thomas, mitigating for Smith, argued there was "not a racist bone in his body" and that he had "no issue with people coming into this country fleeing persecution".

He said the 51-year-old had fallen out with friends and family over his views and could lose his job at Waitrose, adding: "There will, no doubt, be an HR meeting after this."

Kevin Toomey, for Williams, said his conduct was "appalling and disgraceful" but he was motivated by a mantra of "protect our kids".

Richard Padley, for Peagram, said: "He notes his behaviour as idiotic, immature, embarrassing and pathetic."

Sentencing the defendants, Judge Sawyer said: "What you did went beyond a protest and became criminal when you acted as you did."

He continued: "You wished for the asylum seekers to be removed from the area.

"You didn't wait for due process to run its course, you wanted to take matters into your own hands."