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Two brothers have been jailed for their role trying to steal computers from a burned out library torched during the Southport riots.
Adam Wharton, 28 and Ellis Wharton, 22, targeted the site in County Road, Walton, Liverpool, where widespread public disorder took place earlier on Saturday August 3 as police officers came under attack.
After the disturbance subsided at about 2am on August 4, Adam Wharton acted as lookout while his younger brother entered the burnt-out Spellow Hub premises which housed a number of community facilities including a food bank – just a “stone’s throw away” from their home.
A police officer entered the building and caught a masked Ellis Wharton in the act of removing a large computer monitor.
When challenged Ellis Wharton took up a “fighting stance”, the court heard, as the officer attempted to restrain him and the defendant responded by lashing out and striking him in the chest.
Judge Neil Flewitt KC said he had “no doubt” that Adam Wharton, who has a string of convictions for dishonesty including burglary, had involved and encouraged his younger brother, with no previous convictions.
Sentencing Adam Wharton to 20 months in jail and Ellis Wharton to 11 months in jail, the judge said: “The Spellow Hub was a valuable local resource and its loss will be felt deeply by the community.
“Although your offending amounts in law to the offence of burglary, your conduct is more commonly described as ‘looting’ – a despicable crime in which the offender seeks to profit from the misery of others.”
Both pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to burglary with intent to steal while Ellis Wharton changed his plea on Thursday to admit assaulting an emergency worker.
Ellis Wharton received an eight-month jail term for the burglary and a consecutive three months sentence for the assault.
His older sibling Adam Wharton, wearing a balaclava, apparently acted as a “lookout” but was apprehended “profusely sweating”.
The 28-year-old, who has a total of 16 previous convictions for 26 offences including robbery and burglary, was heard to say “nice one lad” as he was led to the cells on Monday after being remanded into custody by District Judge Timothy Boswell.
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