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A young mother who took her toddler to a riot at a hotel housing asylum seekers in Manchester has been criticised by a judge, but spared an immediate jail sentence.
Nevey Smith, 21, admitted throwing water over police during the trouble on 31 July while her 20-month-old child was with her in a pram, claiming that she “lost her temper” while on a day out with the baby’s grandmother.
She had joined the mob that had been throwing bottles, bricks and eggs at the Holiday Inn amid nationwide unrest after three girls were stabbed at a holiday club in Southport two days previously.
Describing her as “misguided, naive and immature” at her sentencing at Manchester Crown Court on Monday, Judge Patrick Field KC said: “You chose to join (the disorder) notwithstanding that you had your 20-month-old child in a pushchair.
“What on earth were you thinking? I doubt you had his safety in mind.”
Smith was handed a community order and made to attend reviews at a women’s problem-solving court, and carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.
The judge also told Smith that she had a “lot to learn” and “quite a lot of growing up to do”.
He said that her role was “minimal and peripheral” as she had not been involved in throwing bricks or encouraging others to do so.
Daniel Calder, defending, told the court that Smith had not set out to attend the protest on the day, and had been passing the riot when she “foolishly” got involved.
He said that Smith had not expressed discriminatory views and did not know what an asylum seeker is.
Smith was handed a community order and made to attend reviews at a women’s problem-solving court, and carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.
Her mother, Vanessa Smith, 42, was also at the protest and admitted violent disorder. She will be sentenced on Thursday.
