Soldier who stormed migrant hotel spared prison

Michael Tart was given a suspended prison sentence at Canterbury Crown Court

A former Army soldier with "significant" mental health struggles has been given a suspended prison sentence for attacking a hotel housing migrants.

Michael Tart, 38, "stormed" into the Holiday Inn in Ashford on 4 August and demanded to know: "Why is this hotel closed? I know this is an immigration hotel. I pay my taxes for this."

At Canterbury Crown Court earlier, Tart, who pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to affray, racially motivated common assault and racially motivated criminal damage, was given a three-month sentence, suspended for 12 months.

Judge Simon Taylor KC said Tart's time in the Army had left "lasting scars".

Canterbury Crown Court heard Tart, of Nine Acres in Kennington, left but returned about five minutes later, smashed a window and tried to force open a side door.

The incident happened at a similar time to anti-immigrant protests around England following the Southport killings in July.

'Exposure to combat'

The court was told Tart suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), having experienced "extreme violence during war conflict situations" and had been self-medicating with alcohol.

The judge said Tart, now a crane operator currently signed off work, had expressed remorse for his actions.

He said: "Mr Tart's life had been marked by significant struggles particularly in relation to his mental health.

"His time in the military, particularly his exposure to combat, led to a diagnosis of complex PTSD."

He added: "This was not an act of civic unrest as seen in other parts of the country in the summer of 2024.

"This was one man acting alone expressing his own obnoxious views."

Tart has also been given a three-month curfew and 15 rehabilitation activity days, and must pay £100 compensation and £1,000 court costs.