Attorney General donates books to riot-hit library

Richard Hermer says “swift and severe” justice has played a “major role” in bringing an end to disorder

The Attorney General has donated books to Liverpool's Spellow Lane Library which was set on fire during the disorder in the aftermath of the Southport stabbings last month.

The library, on County Road, Walton, suffered severe damage to its ground floor during the disorder on 3 August.

Attorney General Richard Hermer, who is the government's chief legal adviser, said the damage inflicted on the library and subsequent renovation efforts had shown the worst and best of the country.

He also visited the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and a mosque on his visit to the city.

Richard Hermer says he put a personal message in each book he donated to the library

"This space is emblematic of this country," he said.

"It has showed how a tiny minority can cause havoc here in this community centre in which kids come in to learn, to read.

"This appalling act of criminality, but - here's the really important thing - the community comes together.

"They come to clean, they come to rebuild. People donate money, people donate books because that is the country we are."

Spellow Library was damaged during disorder in the Liverpool on 3 August

Mr Hermer also commented on the “swift and severe” justice that followed the riots across the country, which he said had played a “major and crucial role” in bringing an end to disorder.

“People who were minded to carry on with criminal activity got the clearest message within days that there is a price to pay and people saw in the clearest and starkest terms that justice can be swift and it can be severe.

"I think that played a major role in getting our streets safe," he said.

"I don't think that anybody can be under any doubt at all that when you engage in the type of criminality that we saw, punishment will be very severe indeed."

He added that people could not "hide behind a keyboard" and authorities would "prosecute those who incite racial and religious hatred online".

"Anybody who commits a serious offence will find themselves in a cell".