Youngest to be sentenced so far for violent disorder
The first youths, including a 12-year-old boy, have been sentenced for their part in the violent disorder that broke out across the country in July and August.
Compelling CCTV footage was played to a District Judge at Liverpool Youth Court today (17 September 2024) before the three boys were sentenced. None of the boys can be named because of their age.
The 12-year-old boy from Liverpool was sentenced for his part in violent disorder in Southport on 30 July 2024.
Phone footage supplied to the police showed the boy among the crowds that attacked police officers and police vehicles in St Luke’s Road in Southport.
The violence erupted after a vigil in memory of three little girls who were murdered in the resort on 29 July 2024. Axel Rudakubana has been charged with their murder.
The 12-year-old was also identified by the police officer connected with the school where the defendant was a pupil. He is seen throwing two objects at the police as they try to establish order in the attacks.
He pleaded guilty to a charge of violent disorder on 12 August and was today given a 12-month referral order, subjected to a curfew from 9pm until 7am daily for three months. A six-month parenting order was also imposed on his father.
A 17-year-old was seen on CCTV smashing the windows of a newsagent during violent disorder in Liverpool city centre on 3 August. He is seen with a large group of people damaging the shop and is seen leaving the area with what are thought to be vapes.
He pleaded guilty to burglary and violent disorder on 8 August 2024 and was today given an eight-month detention and training order at a Youth Offenders Institution.
A 16-year-old was seen on CCTV committing several offences in Liverpool City Centre on 3 August. He is seen attacking a police officer who is surrounded by the rioters on The Strand in Liverpool City Centre.
The police officer who was attacked told the court that he’d previously served in the army in Northern Ireland, and compared the recent disorder to some of the scenes he’d seen during his time there.
The defendant is also seen attacking a police vehicle and then, breaking down the doors to a shopping centre in the city and then running away with property, again thought to be vapes.
He pleaded guilty to burglary, criminal damage, assaulting an emergency worker and violent disorder on 10 August and was today given a 12-month detention order in a Youth Offenders’ institution.
Senior Crown Prosecutor Angela Conlan, of CPS Mersey-Cheshire, said: “The scenes of disorder that these very young people got involved with in late July and August are disgraceful. In some ways they are worse than some of the incidents committed by adults in those days.
“To have someone as young as 12 years old, with no previous convictions, getting involved in this very serious disorder is hard to believe.
“The message of the Crown Prosecution Service remains the same as it has been since this disorder began - we will work tirelessly with the police to bring those responsible to justice.
“The boys sentenced today are some of the youngest to have been involved and they are now paying the price.”
A fourth youth is to be sentenced on 1 October at Liverpool Youth Court.