A teenager who threw lit fireworks at police when violence erupted during a protest at the Suites Hotel was "only there for the anarchy", a court has heard.
Jared Skeete brazenly sniffed ketamine in full view of riot police and called them "little sausages" as he hurled missiles at officers. A judge said the scenes were "shameful for the city" as he locked him up yesterday, Monday.
Liverpool Crown Court was told that Merseyside Police attended the scene on the evening of Friday, February 10, but officers were forced back towards the premises after objects including glass bottles were thrown towards them. Martyn Walsh, prosecuting, described how this resulted in a police van being left unattended.
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The vehicle was then set on fire and burnt out, with equipment also being stolen from inside. A line of officers holding riot shields were left facing a crowd of around 100 people, many of whom had their faces covered.
One, PC Paul Grimes, recalled seeing Skeete lighting and throwing between 15 and 20 fireworks and hurling them towards this barricade - with one hitting the officer on the leg and exploding. The 19-year-old was also seen "holding aloft" a bag of white powder, which he later told police was ketamine, and "snorting" a quantity from his hand.
Another officer, PC John Thompson, was hit on the right foot by an object thrown by the defendant. He suffered minor injuries to this foot and his left arm while in attendance, with an inspector also said to have sustained a concussion.
Skeete - of Irwell Close in Aigburth - hurled abuse throughout the incident, being heard to shout: "Why are you protecting scumbags? You big gang of d***heads.
"I'll have you, I'll have you. Look at her with the little camera, you little snitch.
"What are you going to do you silly little sausage? Go and arrest those nonces.
"We're just trying to protect a kid. Hey you, fat a**e."
Skeete also kicked out at the riot shields and was spotted attempting to pull them away from the clutches of officers. He remained at the scene after the crowds had largely been dispersed and was one of 15 arrested.
Five force vehicles were damaged overall at a total cost of £83,684, with the destroyed Mercedes transporter accounting for £64,000 of this sum. Under interview, Skeete denied being involved and said "it looked like a movie" and described the scenes as being "brutal".
He denied being shown in bodycam footage which was played to him by detectives, and was also shown to the court this morning, but asked for a copy of the video. The convicted drug dealer was previously handed a 12-month community order in June last year for possession of cannabis with intent to supply, and was brought brought before the same court only the day before the incident at the Suites Hotel - having breached this order by not complying with probation requirements, for which he was fined.
Peter White, defending, said: "He was socialising with friends, and it is clear that drugs were being used that night. It appears to be that a rumour was spread on social media that a resident of this hotel had been untruthfully accused of a serious offence."
Judge David Swinnerton said that this concerned a man "asking a 15-year-old girl for her phone number". Mr White continued: "He believed it was more serious than that, but it is no excuse for this violence.
"He appears to have been caught up in a mob mentality and used it to act in a totally unacceptable manner. Mr Skeete is not part of any right wing or political organisation, but accepts he played a leading role in the disorder.
"He was only there for the anarchy that resulted. He is still a young man, and he was stupid enough to go along with such behaviour.
"He knows he has caused considerable disruption and stress to the police officers and their families, and no doubt to innocent residents of the hotel in question who have been traumatised previously. He genuinely wishes to apologise for his actions.
"He knows he is not going anywhere soon. He is intending to use his time in custody well."
Mr White stated that his client was hoping to gain qualifications in construction while behind bars, adding: "Quite simply, this is a young man who has lived something of a haphazard life without structure. There would appear to be another side to Mr Skeete.
"He is now completely free from any drug use. Hopefully this will be his one and only experience of the custodial estate."
Skeete - who wore a blue New Balance tracksuit top in the dock - admitted violent disorder during an earlier hearing, with no evidence offered against a further count of assaulting an emergency services worker. He was given three years in a young offenders' institute and nodded as he was led down to the cells.
Judge Swinnerton described him as being an "enthusiastic participant at the forefront" of the altercation, saying of his lifestyle in his sentencing remarks: "You get up some point after midday, smoke weed regularly, play computer games late into the night and have no routine other than walking the dog. Yet you managed to get yourself up and out to Knowsley on February 10.
"You went because you thought there might be a fight with the police or asylum seekers, and that would be enjoyable to you. You sought to use an online rumour as an excuse for the violence and intimidation carried out on that night.
"I cannot ignore that context in which your offending took place - large scale, organised disorder. While you were there, you played a full and active role in what was going on.
"The scenes were appalling and shameful. These scenes and what you did bring shame on you.
"They were shameful for the city. That is not who we are.
"The incident resulted in serious fear, distress and disruption to the community around it, not just to the refugees. I don't know the background of the refugees and neither do you, but some may well have escaped warzones.
"This must have been deeply distressing to them. It caused fear and distress to anyone living anywhere near what was going on, and it caused substantial cost to be incurred to the public purse."
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