Sixteen in court charged over riot

A row of police officers in riot gear, carrying shields walking towards a crowd of men further down the street. A row of shops can be seen on the right and a red car on fire sits in front of them.
Image caption,

The majority of suspects have been charged with violent disorder in Middlesbrough

  • Published

Sixteen people have appeared in court charged in connection with a riot earlier this month.

Middlesbrough saw a night of unrest on Sunday 4 August in a wave of disorder that swept across the country following anti-immigration fuelled social media misinformation about the fatal stabbing of three young girls in Southport.

All those appearing at Teesside Crown Court were charged with violent disorder, with some also accused of possessing an offensive weapon.

Of those seen on Tuesday, 14 men pleaded not guilty.

A metal bar, knife and scaffolding pole are among the weapons defendants have been accused of carrying.

One of those admitting offences was a 16-year-old boy who pleaded guilty to violent disorder

He denied a further charge of being in possession of a bladed article and was remanded into the care of the local authority.

Meanwhile, Jamie Govan, 27, of Hartington Road in Stockton, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and will be sentenced on 7 October.

Two further defendants had their hearings adjourned until Wednesday, while another case was dismissed.

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