Stockport rioter threatened to kill probation officer if he couldn’t call his girlfriend, court told

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May 8, 2026
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A convicted rioter has been dragged before the courts again after threatening to kill a probation officer.

Daniel Carrigan was serving a 32-month-long sentence in HMP Lindholme when he was denied access to call his partner, after she requested the prison block her number.

In the words of prosecuting barrister Jack Staples-Butler at Sheffield Crown Court on Tuesday (May 5), he then proceeded to make ‘numerous calls’ to his probation officer, demanding access to his partner’s number be restored.

This escalated until on July 16, 2025, he left a voicemail message on her work phone that included threats to kill her.

“You made threats to kill – this included not just the probation officer, but also others,” Judge Patrick Palmer explained when passing his sentence.

“It was a horrible message, and having read the victim personal statement it has had a very significant effect on her as you might well imagine.”

After the incident, the 43-year-old was offered an interview in prison, which he refused, with the court being told that he ‘tore up the letter’ when it was served to him.

These latest offences come as Carrigan is already serving a sentence after being convicted in August, 2024, for his role in the Southport Riots.

He was released on license in April 2025, however only a month later was taken back into custody following an assault at the accommodation he was staying at, the court heard.

Carrigan’s representative, Ian West, explained how his client suffers from a number of mental health issues including anxiety, OCD and agoraphobia.

Mr West went on to explain that Carrigan is still in a relationship with his partner, who sat in the public gallery and gave a character reference in which she detailed his struggles with mental health.

However, Carrigan continued to interrupt proceedings while his sentence was being passed, with Judge Palmer eventually telling the defendant: “Your barrister has already spoken on your behalf.”

Mr West apologised for his client’s behaviour, before the judge explained that this offence was aggravated by the fact that the victim was a probation officer trying to carry out her her duties.

The court was also told that Carrigan had 15 previous convictions for 21 offences.

The judge accepted the mitigating factors – including Carrigan’s guilty plea and mental health struggles – before passing a sentence of 10 months to serve concurrently with his ongoing violent disorder sentence.

As Carrigan was taken away, he called to his partner, shouting ‘I love you baby’ from the docks.

Sheffield Star

London teen who threatened prom jailed for possessing terrorist materia

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May 6, 2026
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Dihan Rahman, 19, owned guides on how to build bombs and also had pro-ISIS and extreme right-wing material

A teenager who threatened to “ruin prom” and had bomb-making videos and a terrorist manual has been jailed.

Dihan Rahman, 19, was sentenced to four years and six months for terrorism, stalking offences and making indecent images of children at the Old Bailey on Wednesday.

Rahman, from Southall, was found to have downloaded guides on how to build bombs and also had content related to various terrorist ideologies, including incel, pro-ISIS and extreme right-wing material.

Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) detectives found that Rahman was the administrator of the far-right wing Strumjäger Group on encrypted messaging app Telegram and had frequently expressed antisemitic views after analysing his mobile phone and computer, including an encrypted hard drive.

The teenager had pleaded guilty to three charges of possession of documents of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, as well as stalking two teenage girls and a female teacher, in February.

Rahman was accused of stalking and threatening two teenage girls when one of the girls rejected him romantically shortly after he moved to a new school.

He then bombarded her with messages on social media, doxxed her and her friends’ details to encourage harassment online, and visited locations he knew they would be.

Rahman also posted images to social media in which he tagged the venue for the school prom alongside a photograph of a German Nazi soldier in a forest holding a gun. The event was moved for security reasons, with extra security added.

When his behaviour was reported to the school, Rahman had his phone confiscated by a teacher, who saw images of him dressed in army uniform with the words “kill yourself” and another with the caption “who’s in for a Valentines school shooting”.

There were also images of Adolf Hitler, Saddam Hussein, beheadings, dead bodies and violent images of women being hurt and strangled, and a manifesto he had written was found in his school bag.

Rahman would go on to stalk the teacher who had found the images and manifesto after the school contacted the police, and he was arrested in November 2024 after CTP detectives found that he had posted details of the girls and teacher online suggesting they were involved in a “conspiracy” in relation to the investigation into him.

He was subsequently remanded in custody and pleaded guilty to three counts of possession of Indecent Images, and three counts of stalking.

Rahman originally admitted to owning the documents but claimed he didn’t know that they contained information that would help a terrorist.

Commander Helen Flanagan, head of CTP London said: “This case is yet another example of a growing and concerning trend of young people being drawn into extremist, violent and terrorist ideologies – principally from what they are exposed to and consuming online.

“Rahman’s actions towards his victims – two of whom were teenage girls – were completely unacceptable and I want to praise their incredible courage and resilience throughout this whole ordeal. I would also like to praise the actions of Rahman’s teachers, who contacted police with their concerns, which enabled us to intervene and investigate when we did.

“With the threat level now raised to severe, everyone can play their part to keep themselves and their communities safe. If you see or hear anything that doesn’t look or feel right, then please report it to us. Your information could help us save lives.”

Bethan David, Head of Counter Terrorism for the Crown Prosecution Service, said:“Dihan Rahman was driven by his extreme ideologies and misogynistic views.

“He was an administrator of an extreme far-right group that is known for its encouragement of violence, he had material containing pro-ISIS, far-right views and depicting violence against women.

“His derogatory views about women and his interest in mixed extreme ideologies drove him to commit the stalking offences causing considerable fear and distress to his victims, who have described the effect his actions have had on them.

“Today’s sentencing reflects the seriousness of his crimes, and I hope can bring some closure to his victims, my thoughts remain with them.”

Evening Standard

Former soldier jailed over weapons stash in shed

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May 5, 2026
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A convicted paedophile and former soldier who had a fascination with the Nazis and firearms has been jailed for terrorism and weapons offences.

Paul Page, 52, of Littleport in Cambridgeshire, collected landmines, grenades, rifles, ammunition and chemicals in a shed which he described as a “man cave” and “personal museum”.

Police found more than 600 weapons stockpiled at his home and in March, Page admitted a string of terrorism, explosives and firearms charges.

Sentencing him to six years in prison at the Old Bailey earlier, Judge Richard Marks KC said Page had an “obsession with weapons and tools”.

Cambridgeshire Police started investigating Page over reports he downloaded child abuse images and they uncovered more than 250 illegal images on his devices.

In August 2023 he was jailed for 20 months after admitting three charges of making indecent images of children.

But during a search of his home, officers had also discovered a hoard of Nazi flags, World War Two weapons and chemicals in an outbuilding.

Counter-terrorism officers established Page had more than 600 weapons and other militaria linked to Nazi activity during World War Two.

Police said although much of this was legal memorabilia, he was in possession of prohibited items including landmines, grenades, rifles and ammunition.

Hannah Wilkinson is assistant chief officer for the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit, which is made up of counter-terrorism personnel.

“We also discovered two instruction manuals – one for how to put together a gun and another for how to make a bomb – and those two items are prohibited under the Terrorism Act.”

Even though Page said he kept the stash under lock and key, Marks said the property was in a residential area and potentially within reach of children if he was not “100% vigilant”.

Had the shed been burgled and the items got into the wrong hands, “the consequences could have been very serious”, the judge added.

During police interviews, Page denied holding an extreme right-wing mindset, despite having an email address which referenced numbers associated with Adolf Hitler and a tattoo linked to white supremacy, police said.

Page had pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing a document or record likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.

He also admitted two counts of possessing an explosive substance, four counts of possessing a firearm without a certificate, two counts related to the possession of a prohibited firearm, possession of prohibited ammunition and possession of ammunition without a certificate.

Page had also been convicted of child abuse in the US in 2006.

BBC News

Neo-Nazi plotting mass gun attack foiled in east London car park sting

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April 30, 2026
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Alfie Coleman, 21, found guilty of planning the attack after being snared by MI5 in an undercover sting


A Neo-Nazi teenager plotted to carry out a mass gun attack but was foiled as he tried to buy a gun in an east London car park.

Alfie Coleman, 21, was found guilty at the Old Bailey on Thursday of preparing for terrorist acts after being snared by MI5 in an undercover sting.

He was 19 when armed police swooped to arrest him outside a Morrisons supermarket in Stratford on September 29, 2023.

Coleman, from Great Notley in Essex, had arranged with an undercover officer to buy a Makarov pistol, five magazines and 200 rounds of ammunition.

Jurors saw dramatic video of Coleman dropping £3,500 in a Land Rover Discovery and picking up a holdall containing the handgun and ammunition from the boot.

Before he had gone 30 yards, Coleman, who was carrying his Tesco employee card, was confronted by armed counter-terrorism police and forced to the ground.

A search of the home he shared with his parents and sibling revealed the extent of Coleman’s murderous ideology, including idolising Thomas Mair, the extremist who killed MP Jo Cox.

Police found £2,500 in savings and a device to detect bugs and secret cameras in his bedside drawer; a rock with a Swastika on a table; a Black Sun flag associated with neo-Nazism on the wall; and various extreme right wing books.

Police also seized a collection of knives from his bedside drawer and on top of his chest of drawers, a small stone axe, an air rifle and a flyer about target shooting.

An analysis of his electronic devices revealed that in July 2021, Coleman had emailed the far-right white supremacist organisation Patriotic Alternative saying he “would like to start participating in activism”.

He went on to write down plans for potential terrorist attacks such as hijacking a plane and targeting the home of the Lord Mayor of London.

They involved putting explosives in a cash machine as well as the use of knives and crossbows, the court was told.

He was “seething with hatred” as he created an list of people at work who had “upset” him in September 2022, prosecutor Nicholas De La Poer KC had said.

Among those he singled out was a white female co-worker who was married to a man of mixed Indian and Seychellois heritage.

Coleman said he was “captivated” by an extreme right wing book which commemorated public hangings of “white race traitors”.

The defendant’s “manifesto” drew inspiration from several extremist mass killers who he regarded as “warriors”.

Six days before his arrest, Coleman posted a picture of a man armed with an automatic gun and wearing a balaclava, and commented: “Coming soon here my man.”

Two days before he was due to pick up the Makarov in Stratford, he wrote: “Just something has gotta be done, how long can we sit here and talk over the internet.”

The same day, Coleman ordered a Gerber Strong Arm knife with a 4.8 inch blade online.

Giving evidence, Coleman described being lonely and suffering with his mental health during the Covid-19 lockdowns.

He had admitted attempting to possess both a firearm and ammunition but denied he was preparing for a terrorist attack.

He had pleaded guilty to possessing 10 documents with information likely to be useful to terrorists such as texts on weaponry and bomb-making instructions.

Thursday’s guilty verdict followed a retrial at the Old Bailey. Coleman was remanded into custody to be sentenced on July 8.

Detective Chief Superintendent Helen Flanagan, head of operations for the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said “The verdict shows the success of counter terrorism policing and MI5 working together and that’s what we do day in day out.

“Alfie Coleman is a really dangerous individual, and through our work, we were able to thwart any attack and manage that risk to the public.

“Securing the evidence of Coleman physically exchanging the money for firearms provided the prosecution team with the evidence that shows Coleman was fully prepared and committed to carry out an attack way beyond simply typing out ideas of fantasy on his computer.

“The fact he’s seeking out automatic weapons shows that his intention wasn’t to identify one individual and attack one individual.

“Clearly he had grievance towards specific individuals but his intention seemed to be more towards a mass attack and planning that and creating that sort of race war. That was his mindset.”

Ms Flanagan said Coleman’s was an “acute” example of a growing trend of children becoming radicalised online and drawn into terrorism.

“Sadly in this case, it’s ultimately led to him developing a plan and desire to go out and kill innocent people,” she said.

“Whilst this is rare and shocking, unfortunately we’re starting to see this more and more in our casework, so this is not unique.”

She added that it was “vital” parents take an interest in what their children are doing online and if necessary initiate “difficult conversations”.

Evening Standard

Rapist jailed for religiously aggravated attack on Sikh woman in her home

By
April 24, 2026
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John Ashby targeted his victim and told her he was a ‘British master’ after following her into her home.

A sex attacker who raped a Sikh woman in a religiously aggravated attack has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 14 years.

A trial at Birmingham Crown Court heard John Ashby shouted racist and anti-Muslim abuse as he beat the victim with a stick after following her off a bus and into her home.

Jurors were told the 32-year-old raped the woman, who was a stranger to him, after forcing her to take off her clothes in her bathroom, while telling her he was a “British master”.

Ashby, of no fixed address, changed his pleas on the second day of his trial to admit charges of rape, robbery, intentional strangulation and religiously aggravated assault.

Prosecutor Phil Bradley KC told the trial Ashby followed the woman on foot and entered her property in Walsall, West Midlands, in October last year.

Mr Bradley told jurors that despite her screams, Ashby barged his way into her bathroom, tried to strangle her and “racially and religiously abused her” throughout her ordeal.

Passing sentence on Friday, High Court judge Mr Justice Pepperall told Ashby that remarks made during the offending “reveal you as a deeply unpleasant racist and Islamophobe”.

The judge added: “You raped this woman after you forced your way uninvited into her home.

“You held her against her will as you sexually and physically assaulted her for at least 24 minutes.”

After sentence was passed, the judge addressed the victim and her partner, who were sitting in the public gallery, telling them: “I have nothing but admiration for your bravery. I hope that with time, love and support you are able to rebuild your lives.”

During the rape, the court heard that Ashby, who later tested positive for cocaine use, referred to his private parts as being white and British and ordered the woman to say hallelujah.

When he was arrested in Birmingham two days after the attack, Ashby told police “you never see any Englishmen in Perry Barr any more”.

The sentencing hearing was told Ashby has 10 previous convictions for 18 offences and a history of drug abuse-related mental illness.

At the time of the rape he was homeless, having been discharged from psychiatric care three days earlier without a support package after it was decided he was no longer psychotic.

In a statement issued after the sentencing, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said Ashby was linked to the attack by DNA evidence and fingerprints found at the scene.

He was also picked out by the victim at an identity parade.

Senior Crown Prosecutor Rav Dhillon, from the CPS, said: “This was a deeply disturbing attack driven by religious hatred, carried out against an innocent woman in her own home – where she had every right to be and feel safe.

“John Ashby targeted a complete stranger, subjected her to prolonged violence and religiously motivated abuse, and left her traumatised.

“The CPS worked closely with West Midlands Police to present a robust case based on CCTV footage, DNA evidence and witness testimony.

“The fact Ashby initially denied these charges before changing his plea part-way through the trial reflects the strength of the evidence against him.

“We invited the court to treat the religious hostility shown throughout this offending as an aggravating feature. No-one should be subjected to violence and hatred because of their background – perceived or otherwise.

“Our thoughts remain with the victim, who showed remarkable courage, and we hope today’s sentencing brings her some measure of justice.”

Evening Standard

Man admits rape and religiously aggravated assault after court confrontation

By
April 22, 2026
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John Ashby, 32, admits using Islamophobic slurs during attack on Sikh woman he thought was Muslim

A man who racially abused a Sikh woman as he raped her has pleaded guilty to the assault after being confronted in court by a member of the public.

John Ashby pleaded guilty to rape, religiously aggravated assault, intentional strangulation, and robbery of the woman at her home in Walsall.

Ashby initially pleaded not guilty but unexpectedly changed his pleas after he was sworn at by a member of the public in Birmingham crown court.

The 32-year-old, of no fixed abode, asked to see his barrister and changed his pleas about an hour after being sworn at and told to “sort your shit out” by a member of public who approached the dock.

The victim, who is in her 20s, was due to give evidence on Tuesday. Ashby, who wrongly believed the woman was Muslim, used Islamophobic slurs during the attack, calling her a “fucking Muslim bitch”.

The judge said Ashby had been “convicted of very serious offences” and warned that he was considering the imposition of a life sentence. “It seems to me that anybody who commits these offences … is a very dangerous individual,” Justice Pepperall added.

Prosecution lawyer Philip Bradley KC told the court on Monday that Ashby had followed the woman home in Walsall in October last year. The victim had returned home from work and had gone upstairs to change her clothes when she heard a noise downstairs, the prosecution said.

“As she was home alone, she had no reason to lock the bathroom door but now rushed to do so,” Bradley said. “She was too late.”

Ashby barged inside where he strangled the victim before repeatedly religiously abusing her. Ashby told the woman she was “dirty” and said he was her “master”, the court heard.

The ordeal ended after Ashby ran out of the house when he was “spooked by a noise outside”, Bradley added, taking the victim’s jewellery and mobile phone. There could be “no doubt” that the attacker was Ashby, the prosecution said, citing DNA and fingerprint evidence taken from the scene.

On Tuesday, body-worn police footage was shown to jurors on the day of the attack. In the video, the victim described how the attacker insulted her during the attack.

“He switched off the light. He said: ‘I just want fun with you.’ He said: ‘You are a fucking Muslim bitch,’ I said: ‘I am not a Muslim, I am a Sikh,’” she told officers.

Ashby was arrested three days after the attack at an identity parade. The prosecution said he told officers: “You never see an Englishman in Perry Barr any more.”

During the police interview, Ashby replied “no comment” to all questions except when he was shown a picture of the woman, when he asked: “Why isn’t she wearing a hijab?”

The attack provoked fear among Sikh women in Midlands who said they had “changed everything” about their daily routines. The charity Sikh Women’s Aid, which is supporting the victim, said it welcomed the guilty plea.

Its chair, Sukhvinder Kaur, said: “The defendant chose to proceed to trial, prolonging proceedings and contributing to the ongoing trauma experienced by the victim, only to change his plea partway through.

“This reflects wider concerns about how perpetrators are able to navigate the system in ways that can compound harm for survivors.

“We now look to the sentencing hearing on Friday and expect that it reflects the severity of the harm caused and the clear danger this perpetrator poses.”

Ashby is due to be sentenced at the crown court on Friday morning.

Ch Supt Samantha Batey, of Walsall police, called the incident “an abhorrent and violent attack” which was “made all the worse by the language which Ashby used during the ordeal”.

Batey said the police continued to support the victim and their thoughts remained with her and her loved ones.

“We understand the impact this horrific attack had on communities in the West Midlands and beyond,” she said.

“We have spoken with faith and community leaders in the aftermath of what happened and remain committed to doing everything we can to make women safer, and feel safer.”

The Sikh Federation UK also welcomed the plea but described the “lack of accountability” shown by Ashby to be “deeply unacceptable”.

Jas Singh, principal adviser to the federation, said: “The court has heard disturbing evidence of the abusive language used during a violent attack carried out in the victim’s own home … we now expect the court to reflect the seriousness of this offence in its sentencing.”

The organisation also called on the government to do more to tackle anti-Sikh hate.

The Guardian

Nazi-saluting teen who planned college shooting spared jail

By
April 17, 2026
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A Nazi-saluting teenager who threatened to carry out a college shooting has been spared jail.

Theodore Hopes has been sentenced to a two-year community order for making threats to kill.

Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard the 18-year-old said: “I want to go into Newtown College, I want to shoot people.”

It was told Hopes, from Llandrindod Wells, Powys, wrote a “manifesto” and searched online about pipe bombs and secondary school attacks.

But the court was told there was no evidence Hopes took steps to act on the threats.

Jason Howells, prosecuting, said Hopes was arrested at his father’s home in Llandrindod Wells in December 2025, and a police body camera captured him talking about wanting to kill himself and others.

At Brecon police station he was examined by health care professional Lesley Watson, who said Hopes had “dark thoughts of envy, rage and suicide”.

He told her a gun he had had been taken away, but said: “I can still go in and stab people.”

She told officers he was “dead behind the eyes” and “adamant on harming people”.

The court heard on Thursday Hopes told her: “I want to go into Newton College, I want to shoot people.”

Hopes told her, Watson said, he wanted to commit “suicide by police”.

Hopes told officers that he had no intention of attacking anyone and had no grudges against people at the college.

Judge Paul Lewis KC told the court Hopes was twice referred to the Prevent counter extremism programme without success.

‘Theo Hopes, mass murderer’

When his phone was searched by police they found a manifesto called “The end of Theo Hopes”, which included the phrase: “Theo Hopes, mass murderer.”

This was, the court heard, to be sent to political parties, the press and Dyfed-Powys Police commissioner after his death.

Hopes also visited websites selling human skulls and bones and bought an air gun, which was confiscated by police.

On his phone was a video of Hitler, which also showed Hopes giving a Nazi salute.

Martha Smith-Higgins, defending, said Hopes was autisic and had “read material that has shaped his young mind”.

Judge Lewis said a report concluded Hopes was “misogynistic with far-right political leanings” but he said there was no evidence he had put into effect his views.

Hopes’ two-year community order has a condition he undergo 30 days rehabilitation.

He was banned from using a computer or device connected to the internet for a year and banned from having more than one mobile phone.

BBC News

Reform councillor guilty of breaking electoral law

By
April 16, 2026
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A Reform UK politician who posted a “defamatory” social media message about a Conservative candidate in the run-up to last year’s elections has been found guilty of breaking electoral law.

Andy Osborn, 74, was chairman of the North East Cambridgeshire Reform Party in April 2025, when he posted the message.

Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard he wrote on Facebook, “Samantha Hoy worked in the care industry but allegedly was sacked for fraud no wonder Wisbech is in such a state. Reform UK will fix it”, in April 2025.

Osborn, who was found guilty of making or publishing a false statement under the Representation of the People Act 1983, said his account was hacked.

District Judge Nina Tempia dismissed Osborn’s claim that his account had been hacked and found him guilty of the charge.

The conviction means that Osborn, who was elected as a councillor for Roman Bank and Peckover in May 2025, must vacate his seat, and there will have to be a by-election.

Osborn, of March, Cambridgeshire, was ordered to pay £1,800, comprising a £1,000 fine, £400 costs and a £400 surcharge.

‘Speak English’

The court heard the allegations stem from incidents in the build-up to the local elections, which included a dispute between Reform UK campaigners, including Osborn, who was alleged to have told the mayor of Wisbech, Councillor Sidney Imafidon, who is a black man, to “speak English”.

Police were called to the incident on 11 April, which is said to have happened at Wisbech market place, when questions were raised over whether Reform had a licence for a stall and if it was being used for political purposes, the court heard.

Imafidon asked them to move, and the police were called.

Osborn, who has hearing problems, said he only asked Imafidon to “speak clearly”.

Hoy, a councillor for Wisbech South, then claimed that Osborn started an “argument unnecessarily” when she was with colleague Steve Tierney at a postal vote count on 25 April.

The message on Osborn’s account appeared online later that day.

Hoy, who works in the care industry and has never been sacked or faced fraud allegations, later responded online, describing the claims as “an absolute lie and extremely defamatory and damaging”.

Hoy reported the matter to the police and took screenshots of messages from the account in Osborn’s name.

The court heard another of the messages said: “I have taken a lot of slander in reference to me being a racist, I have family who are black and I am proud of them.”

Osborn stressed he did not write or publish the posts and his account was hacked, and suggested the culprit may have been a neighbour or an online troll.

He recalled that Hoy told him at the postal count, “Oh, you can hear now there is not a black man in the room”.

He was “offended” by her comment but did not react, and told the court: “I am not a racist. I do not judge anybody by their skin colour.”

Osborn said “there was not any form of aggression or shouting”, and he only “touched” Tierney on the shoulder and did not “poke” him.

Osborn does not have relatives who are black, he told the trial.

Mia Gibson, defending Osborn, suggested that he “was not the author or maker” of any of the posts.

She suggested Hoy brought proceedings to “disparage him and his party”, which Hoy denied.

After sentencing, Hoy said: “I am just pleased that justice has been served. People should run for elections fairly and squarely. They should not tell lies about people.

“The idea he had been hacked was nonsense.

“He was just doing it for retaliation because he felt that he was called a racist in a private setting – that does not give him the right to break the law.”

BBC News

Devon man charged with racial abuse at political protest

By
April 16, 2026
Uncategorized

A 35-year-old man has appeared in Exeter Magistrates’ Court following an incident at a political protest on November 30 last year at Exeter Airport Industrial Estate.

Nicholas Hubble, of Fore Street Exeter, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated assault by abusive words or behaviour.

However, he denied common assault against another protestor, a university professor at the opposing end of the political spectrum.

The court heard officers observed protestors trying to block the path of another. It is alleged the defendant shoulder barged the complainant, causing him to stumble backwards, before shoulder barging him again.

Later that day, officers heard him shouting and swearing at other protestors:

The prosecution said Hubble was targeting individuals of a group that represented lesser harm.

Mr Wilde, mitigating, said the defendant argued that he was approached in an aggressive manner and was protecting himself.

The case was sent for trial at Exeter Magistrates’ Court where Hubble will appear on July 17.

Exmouth Journal

‘I didn’t know about any mosque’ – Hanley riots dad jailed for chucking missiles

By
April 13, 2026
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Dad-of-two Kallum Maddox has been jailed after he hurled missiles during the Hanley riots.

The 26-year-old was working in Hanley on the day of the unrest and saw people outside the town hall when he popped out for his morning break.

When he finished his shift at 1.30pm he went to the town centre to see what was happening. He was nearly struck by missiles so he picked up some and threw them back in retaliation.

He was not aware there was a mosque behind the counter-protesters and the prosecution accepted his actions were not racially motivated. But the judge said when the defendant did become involved he seemed to be enthusiastically involved, throwing a number of missiles and making obscene gestures.

Now Maddox has been jailed for 25 months at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. The violence erupted on August 3, 2024.

Prosecutor Bob Sastry said: “It began to turn violent. The police were attempting to keep the peace but were caught in the middle of the two groups. Missiles were thrown. Anything to hand was used as a missile. And the police line was charged. At 11.25am the defendant was outside the town hall. At 1.35pm he was running with others along Town Road towards the mosque car park.”

Maddox, of Macdonald Crescent, Meir, pleaded guilty to violent disorder. In his basis of plea, which was accepted by the crown prosecution service, he said he was at work from 9.30am to 1.30pm. On his break he became aware there was something going on in Hanley. He went to see what was going on. He saw people outside the town hall. He returned to work. After work he went to the town centre to see what was going on. He was nearly struck by missiles. He accepts he threw some in the direction of the other group in retaliation. He was not aware there was a mosque behind. At no times were his actions racially motivated.

Stuart Muldoon, mitigating, said Maddox is distraught as he is aware of the sentencing powers of the court and has seen the sentences handed down to others involved in the violent disorder.

Mr Muldoon said: “Him staying in Hanley town centre on that day is the worst mistake he could make in his life. Awaiting sentence has been difficult for him and his partner. He is at risk of receiving an immediate sentence of imprisonment. He knows the courts have passed deterrent sentences. He has not committed any further offences since. There has been that gap in time. His personal circumstances have changed somewhat since. He will comply with any order of the court that will allow him to keep his liberty. He is able to complete unpaid work.”

Judge Graeme Smith said: “In your case it has been said, and not challenged, there was no religious aggravation. You had not come to Hanley to get involved in any protest. You had come to work. You popped out at some point in the morning. It was only when you left work that you got involved.

“The footage does show you meeting up with others. I accept that was not prior arranged. But after you got involved you seemed to be enthusiastically involved. You threw a number of missiles. We do not know whether they hit anyone and you were making obscene gestures.”

Stoke Sentinel