Man jailed for racist chants near Liverpool Crown Court

A man has been jailed for shouting racist abuse near Liverpool Crown Court where a group of men were being sentenced for violent disorder.

John Edward Cain, 41, of Shirdley Avenue in Kirkby, was arrested after making several aggressive and racist chants and threats around 2.20pm on 15 March 2024.

At the time, a group of men were being sentenced at the Court for their part in a violent disorder on Friday 10 February 2023 outside the Suites Hotel in Kirkby where asylum seekers were thought to be housed.

Cain made specific racist and aggressive comments to two women and a man as well as chanting general racist abuse. He claimed he was protesting because one of his friends was among those being sentenced for the Suites Hotel disorder.

One of the women had confronted him and asked him to stop making the remarks. Several members of the public rang the police to complain about Cain's behaviour. Another member of the public recorded the audio of the chants.

Cain was arrested and taken to Belle Vale police station where he continued to make some of the comments.

He was charged with two counts of racially aggravated intentional harassment and pleaded guilty at a hearing in Liverpool Magistrates' Court on 18 March 2024. He was jailed for sixteen weeks at the same hearing.

Senior Crown Prosecutor Emily Comer of CPS Mersey-Cheshire said: "John Cain made several racist and aggressive chants and slurs as he walked around the area outside Liverpool Crown Court. Some of the remarks were aimed at specific people simply because of their race or because they challenged him about his abuse.

“His remarks were derogatory, upsetting and criminal. Many passers-by were understandably shocked by his behaviour and called the police. Hate crime has devastating consequences for individuals and tackling hate crime is a priority for the Crown Prosecution Service. We are determined to bring perpetrators to justice. The CPS would like to thank those who came forward and supported this prosecution.

"Cain claimed his criminality was sparked because a friend of his was being sentenced in the Crown Court. That is neither an explanation nor an excuse. He humiliated both himself and others that day and his hate speech will not be tolerated. His sentence was increased to reflect the hate crime element of the offending."