A rioter who punched a police officer in the face during violent unrest in Southport has been jailed for three years, in the longest prison sentence so far over the far-right disorder in England and Northern Ireland.
Derek Drummond, 58, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assaulting an emergency worker during a riot in the Merseyside town on the day after the killing of three young girls.
The judge, Andrew Menary KC, said Drummond was part of a “large and unlawful mob” who had “effectively hijacked” Southport’s grief as part of the disorder, which left a mosque under siege and more than 50 officers injured.
He said: “Every decent member of the community affected by these events will have been appalled, horrified and deeply disturbed by what has taken place in their neighbourhoods.”
The hearing at Liverpool crown court was told that an “unprecedented” 93 Merseyside police officers had been injured over the past eight days, with more injuries being assessed daily.
In a statement read to the court, the Merseyside police chief constable, Serena Kennedy, said officers had sustained a range of physical injuries including a broken jaw and lost teeth, while some had been waking in the night with panic attacks. Police had expressed “disbelief” that no officer had been killed in the unrest, Kennedy said, with many left fearing whether they would “return home safely to their families”.
Drummond shouted “shithouses” before punching the Merseyside police officer Thomas Ball during the riot outside Southport mosque. He was also seen throwing bricks at police as part of a riot, in which more than 50 officers were injured and a riot van was set alight, Liverpool crown court was told.
Christopher Taylor, prosecuting, said police estimated that about 1,000 people were involved in the disorder in Southport, where there were chants of “this is our fucking country” and “scumbag bastards”.
The prosecutor said missiles including bricks, tins of paint and wheelie bins “rained down” on officers, as shouts of “Allah, Allah, who the fuck is Allah” were heard.
After handing himself in to police four days later, Drummond told officers he had been “a fool” and was “holding his hands up to his offending”. Drummond, who has 14 previous convictions including several for violence, had been to a vigil for the three victims of the Southport attack, Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, before attending the planned far-right demonstration two hours later.
During his interview, Drummond said “tensions were very high” at the protest and accepted his behaviour was “appalling”. “He said he was deeply sorry to the people he has let down,” Taylor told the court.
Lionel Greig, defending Drummond, said his client had lost his job as a result of his arrest and had told police officers: “I’m absolutely ashamed by the way I’ve acted. I’ve let Southport down, I’ve let the kids down, I’ve let myself down. I’m not here to deny anything.”
Another man, Declan Geiran, 29, was jailed for 30 months after admitting attempting to set fire to a police van during a far-right rally in Liverpool city centre on Saturday. Taylor said Geiran could be seen in a TikTok video setting fire to the seatbelt of a police van. The vehicle had to be written off at a cost to the taxpayer of more than £32,000, the court was told.
Geiran told police he had gone to the planned far-right rally because he “wanted to show his support for the bereaved families”, the court was told, and he denied any “negative thoughts about immigration”.
Brendan Carville, defending Geiran, said his client had told him he “doesn’t know what far right and far left means – he simply went along” to the disorder.
A third man, Liam James Riley, 41, was jailed for 20 months after admitting violent disorder in Liverpool city centre. A “very drunk” Riley was part of a crowd of 100 people, some of whom were throwing rocks and bricks towards police officers, the court was told. He said he had gone to the demonstration to show “solidarity and support” to the bereaved families of the Southport victims.
On arrest he “made a number of negative remarks about immigrants and Muslims” and expressed the view that “both were to blame for the murders in Southport”, Taylor said.
Carville described Riley as a “loner” and a “very foolish man” for getting caught up in the disorder and “stupidly” staying at the demonstration when he had been told to leave.
Speaking outside court, the senior district crown prosecutor, Jonathan Egan, said the three jailed rioters were “the tip of the iceberg” and “just the start of what will be a very painful process for many who foolishly chose to involve themselves in violent unrest”.
He added: “Many of those involved will be sent to prison for a long time … Let today’s result serve as a warning to all those who carry out criminality on our streets: you will always suffer the consequences.”
More than 400 people have been arrested in connection with the riots and disorder around the country since the Southport stabbings on 29 July, with the number expected to rise in the coming days.
Police forces are gearing up for potential disorder across the UK on Wednesday night. A list of solicitors’ firms and advice agencies has been shared in chat groups as possible targets for gatherings, with the message suggesting people “mask up” if they attend.
