Express & Star

WATCH: 50 sentenced following violent Birmingham EDL protest

A total of 50 people have been jailed for more than 75 years collectively after violence flared at an EDL protest in Birmingham city centre.

Published

The rally - which saw more than 30 police officers injured - took place in Centenary Square and Broad Street in July last year. Around 200 EDL supporters were involved in the violence which lasted for around two hours.

During the trials, Birmingham Crown Court heard that a Muslim prayer cap and a Pakistani flag were set on fire in the street, while police were pelted with paving slabs and bottles during the disorder.

  • Ashley Rowland, aged 25, of Adwick Road, Nesborough - 31 months

  • Neil Jones, aged 45, of Meadow Farm Drive, Shrewsbury - 15 months

  • Melvyn Parker, 46, of Mewtondale Avenue, Mansfield - 24 months

  • Andrew Edge, aged 44, of Wellington Road, Stockport - 21 months

  • Mark Connor, aged 25, of Tantara Street, Walsall - 22 months

  • James Harrington, aged 30, of Kentmere Avenue, Leeds - 24 months

  • William Bartlett, aged 26, of Hotspur Avenue, Whitley Bay - 12 months

  • Joel Smith, aged 24, of Lupton Road, Sheffield - 30 months

  • James Cocks, aged 35, of Binton Close, Redditch - 24 months

  • Jake Hill, aged 32, of Church Street, Stourbridge - 22 months

  • Alan Fisher Crib, aged 20, of Wheeler Street, Newtown - 10 months

  • Shane Williams, aged 27, of Dragons Lane, Leicester - 24 months

  • Lloyd Lewis, aged 23, of Cooks Close, Atherstone - 14 months

  • Josh Norrey, aged 23, of Priors Way, Erdington - 25 months

  • Adam Beebee, aged 28, of Boundary Road, Erdington - 13 months

  • Anthony Webster, aged 38, of West Road, Newcastle - 21 months

  • Thomas Wilkie aged 23, of Kent Road, Wednesbury - 18 months

  • Rob Pay, aged 35, of Gypsy Lane, Erdington - 22 months

  • James Olley-Shields, aged 22, of Hanbury Hill, Stourbridge - 12 months

  • John Warrender, aged 28, of Oakdale Close, Oldbury - 15 months

  • Gareth Wall, aged 25, of Moresdale Lane, Leeds - 20 months

  • Thomas Milner, aged 21, of Herbert Street, Darlington - 16 months

  • Philip Collins - 16months + 2 + 17 months TOTAL 35 months

  • Benjamin Crowder, aged 22, of Lumsdale Crescent, Matlock - 24 months

  • Christopher Michael Layton, aged 28, of Tustin Grove, Acocks Green - 14 months + 6months TOTAL 20 months

  • Jason Harris, aged 40, of Lime Street, Eccles - 20 Months

  • Lee Joshua, aged 43, of St Marys Court, Brierley Hill - 16 months

  • Michael Dyer, aged 34, of Morse Road, Nailbridge - 12 months

  • Steven Cooke, aged 39, of London Road South, Lowestoft - 24 months

  • Simon Reeve, aged 43, of London Road, South, Lowestoft - 18 months

  • Adrian Rimmel, aged 51, of Swallow Avenue, Smithswood - 24 months

  • Thomas Flynn, aged 22, of Grange Drive, Swindon - 14 months

  • Otis Bloodworth, aged 36, of Market Place, Alford - 18 months

  • Scott Davidson, aged 24, of Camross Drive, Shrewsbury - 12 months

  • Gary Watts, aged 30, of Stevens Close, Canvey Island - 15 months

  • Andrew Warren/McGill, aged 48, of Freehold Street, Shoreham by Sea - 12 months

  • Stuart Snowball, aged 24, of Howarth Street, Sunderland - 13 months

  • Danny Purvis, aged 34, of Newcastle Hill, Kent - 27 months

  • Thomas Nelson, aged 21, of Seaforth Road, Bolton - 22 months

  • Matthew Dunn, aged 28, of Park Rod, Lowestoft - 12 months

  • Marc Collins, aged 34, of Bandywood Crescent, Kingstanding - 12 months

  • Lee Hunter, aged 32, of Nidd Drive, Castleford - 6 months

  • Sonny Marland, aged 20, of Meadow Road, Melksham - 8 months

  • Kenny Graham, aged 20, of Ottawa Road, Middlesborough - 26 months

  • Kane Moffatt, aged 22, of Hawthorne Crescent, Mexborough - 22 months

  • Adam Emms, aged 24, of Donnington Close, Redditch - 13 +13 TOTAL 26 months

  • Joshua Wall, aged 21, of The Ridgeway Erdington -16 + 29 +1 TOTAL 46 months

  • Karl Reed, aged 51, of Maple Grove, Bletchley - community order 12 months

  • Jamie Wilder, aged 22, Devonshire Road, Hastings - total of 6 and a half years (including other offences)

  • Mark Morgan, aged 25, of St Johns Avenue, Newcastle - 16 months

People were arrested from as far afield as West Sussex and Tyne and Wear, having travelled to the West Midlands to take part in the demonstration.

After protestors listened to speeches and displayed their flags, factions of the crowd of around 2000 supporters started to turn violent with missiles being thrown at police who were trying to maintaining order.

A total of 40 people pleaded guilty to charges relating to the disorder that took place during the demonstration on July 20.

Arond 1,800 supporters of the far-right group met in Bar Risa in Broad Street on the morning of the demonstration, before marching down into Centenary Square, where they clashed with police officers.

A counter-protest was being staged in Chamberlain Square by the Muslim Defence League and Unite Against Fascism.

Sentencing for Michael Wilson, aged 20, of Arkley Crescent in Hartlepool was adjourned until 30 January.

One other man, Dean Kenny, is wanted on warrant in connection with the investigation.

Two men are yet to appear before court, charged with violent disorder at the counter demonstration on the day of the July 2013 protest.

Khurram Shabir, aged 22 of Finnemore Road, Bordesley Green pleaded guilty at a hearing in December and awaits sentence.

Nadeem Zaffar, aged 26, of Somerville Road, Small Heath, awaits trial at Birmingham Crown Court on January 12.

Superintendent Richard Baker, from Birmingham police, said: "Violence has no place on the streets of Birmingham, regardless of motivation or whatever cause people are supporting.

"In July 2013 we launched a major operation to try and maintain calm and order for the thousands to allow the demonstrators a safe and peaceful place to stage their event, whilst allowing everyone else to go about their business in the city without concern.

"In the main the policing operation was successful, however there was a minority who were intent on causing violence and disruption - and it is those people who are now facing the most severe sentences.

"This week's court proceedings should send a clear message to those who are intent on coming to the West Midlands to cause trouble - we will not tolerate such behaviour.

"A team of detectives have worked tirelessly on this investigation for more than a year, determined to trace those involved in the disorder and bring them to justice.

"People who commit public order offences such as these should not rest easy as, no matter how long it takes, we will find you.

"We recognise that the residents, visitors and businesses of Birmingham were both concerned and inconvenienced on the day and we hope that residents of the city are reassured by our efforts to bring those involved in the disorder to justice."

Detective sergeant Harjit Ubhi led the year-long police investigation into the disorder. Following today's final sentencing, he said: "To see all of those involved in the disorder finally brought to justice is a great testament to the hard work and dedication of the officers who painstakingly worked to identify and arrest those responsible.

"Our inquiry has seen us liaise with forces across the country in a bid to identify people who had travelled far and wide to take part in the protest, and subsequently arrest them.

"Twenty people were arrested at the time and we continued to arrest people up and down the country over the weeks and months that followed.

"We recovered many hours of CCTV, mobile phone and police footage which led to many months of detective work to painstakingly track those involved throughout the day's events and then put a name to those faces.

"These court proceedings underline the fact that we will pursue people who commit crime in the West Midlands, no matter how long it takes, and bring them to justice."

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.