A 29-year-old man told police that he brought a bag of knives to an anti-racism demonstration to exchange for a bike.
Tom Sedbury was seen wearing a balaclava and carrying a backpack at the gathering in Walthamstow ahead of an expected “far-right” demonstration on Aug 7.
Prosecutors told Inner London Crown Court Sedbury refused to be searched by officers or take off his face covering. In his backpack officers then found five blades, green zip ties, a pair of scissors, a red BBQ lighter and a small, blue water gun containing water.
During a police interview the following day, Sedbury told police he did not understand why he needed to remove his balaclava, which he said he kept on because he did not wish to be caught on camera because he is an introvert.
He admitted in the interview that all the knives were his.
The court heard he told police he had arranged to sell or exchange the knives for a bike and had no malicious intent for the use of them.
Sedbury will be sentenced at Inner London Crown Court on Oct 2 after previously pleading guilty to five counts of possessing knives, as well as obstructing a police officer.
04:30 PM BST
Today’s live coverage has ended
Here’s a roundup of the day’s events:
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Mother of six who threw a brick at the police jailed for two years
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A 67-year-old man has been jailed for 20 months after chanting “you’re not English anymore” at police officers
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Keir Starmer has said that the recent race related disorder in Northern Ireland is “intolerable”
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The Northern Ireland police chief called for “speedy justice”
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Operation Early Dawn, the emergency measures to ease prison overcrowding, was launched
04:15 PM BST
PM discusses support for Northern Ireland police
The Prime Minister said he has had discussions with Jon Boutcher, the chief of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, about the organisation’s funding issues.
Sir Keir Starmer met with officers from the Police Service of Northern Irelands (PSNI) on Monday to discuss the riots.
He said: “But, of course, we’ve also had discussions about resourcing, about capability.
“Mainly, of course, that’s a devolved issue, as I think everybody understands, but, nonetheless, we’ve had that discussion about what further support can go in, whether that’s financial or whether it’s in other ways, in terms of making sure the system works better.”
03:50 PM BST
Disorder in Northern Ireland ‘intolerable’, says Starmer
Sir Keir Starmer has described the race related disorder in Northern Ireland as “intolerable”.
The Prime Minister met with officers from the Police Service of Northern Irelands (PSNI) on Monday to discuss the riots.
He said: “The disorder is intolerable. It is incapable of justification. It’s clearly racist and it does not represent the modern, forward looking Northern Ireland that I know that this place is.”
Sir Keir also noted that many PSNI officers had sustained injuries trying to quell the recent unrest.
03:30 PM BST
Mother of six who threw brick at police jailed for two years
A “truly disgraceful” mother-of-six who threw a brick at police officers during a riot in Hartlepool has been jailed for two years.
Donna Conniff, 40, was seen hurling a brick and a rock towards a line of police officers after a protest turned violent last month.
She was identified from CCTV and video footage of the protest in Murray Street on the evening of July 31 and was arrested on Aug 13.
Conniff, of Alford Court in Hartlepool, was also seen handing a brick to a juvenile who threw it towards police.
Sentencing Conniff, Judge Francis Laird KC said: “Your behaviour and the behaviour of others around you was truly disgraceful.”
As of Friday, more than 300 people have been remanded into custody for their role in the violent disorder that erupted after the Southport stabbings on July 29, with 460 arrests.
03:17 PM BST
Northern Ireland police chief calls for ‘speedy justice’
Jon Boutcher, the chief of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, said he wanted to see the same “speedy justice” of dealing with riot offences in Northern Ireland as that seen in courts in England.
The police chief made the comments after meeting with Sir Keir Starmer in Belfast on Monday.
He said a total of 39 people have been arrested in relation to the recent riots and disorder in the city.
“My concern, and it’s not a criticism, it’s an observation, is the criminal justice aspect,” the police chief said.
“It’s much slower here and I want to see the same speedy justice that we have seen in England with regard to these riot offences.”
03:00 PM BST
Man pleads guilty to violent disorder after throwing traffic cone at police
A man who threw a traffic cone towards police officers during disorder in Southport has been remanded in custody.
Gavin Pinder, 47, of Greater Manchester, pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Liverpool magistrates’ court on Monday.
The court heard that he was seen on footage charging towards police officers before picking up a traffic cone and throwing it at them in the seaside town on July 30.
District Judge Timothy Boswell remanded him in custody to appear at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday for sentencing.
02:40 PM BST
Emergency prison overcrowding measures triggered after riot charges
Emergency measures to ease prison overcrowding have been activated by the Ministry of Justice after hundreds of rioters were charged for their roles in the recent unrest.
Shabana Mahmood, the Justice Secretary, has ordered that defendants waiting for a court appearance across the north of England will be kept in police cells until prison space is available.
The system, known as Operation Early Dawn, was activated on Monday morning. It was previously used by the Conservative government in May.
Read the full story here
02:11 PM BST
29-year-old jailed for two years and eight months over Rotherham disorder
A self-employed home renovator, who was part of a group that attacked a migrant hotel, has been sentenced to two years and eight months in jail.
Nathan Palmer was part of the group that attacked the Holiday Inn hotel in Rotherham, where asylum seekers were staying, on Aug 4.
The 29-year-old grabbed a police shield, which was then passed around, after an officer fell during the unrest, Sheffield Crown Court heard on Monday.
The court heard that Palmer, who lived nearby, had attended the protest out of “nosiness” after he saw details on social media.
Judge Jeremy Richardson KC said: “You were part of a group of, predominantly, men who were being extremely provocative towards the police who were trying to protect the hotel from damage.
“They were also trying to protect the occupants of the hotel who were inside, terrified of what might happen to them.”
01:46 PM BST
Man jailed after chanting ‘you’re not English anymore’ at police
A 67-year-old man has been jailed for 20 months after chanting “you’re not English anymore” at police officers during a demonstration in Whitehall.
David Notley, of Buckhurst Hill, Epping Forest, was sentenced at Inner London Crown Court on Monday after pleading guilty to violent disorder and causing religiously aggravated distress.
Alex Agbamu, prosecuting, said that “members and supporters of far-right organisations” took part in the protest on July 31.
Mr Agbamu said Notley made his way to the front of the crowd and confronted police in a “fighting pose”, surging back and forth.
Notley also joined in the chant “you’re not English anymore” and “who the f— is Allah?”, the court heard.
He helped push another demonstrator into a police officer which “precipitated a physical confrontation involving the police [and] demonstrators”, the prosecutor said, and then remained at the front of the crowd.
01:27 PM BST
Full-time carer given suspended sentence
Judge Freya Newbery handed Kelly Wildego a four-month suspended sentence at Inner London Crown Court after she admitted to assaulting an emergency worker.
Wildego was given a suspended sentence because she is a full-time carer for her 13-year-old son who has learning difficulties.
The judge said the 41-year-old mother was “nasty” towards officers who were “just doing their job”.
Inner London Crown Court had heard that Wildego, who is “wholly ashamed” of her actions, got herself arrested to be with her husband, who was earlier detained by police.
Wildego wept in the dock when she heard her sentence.
01:26 PM BST
Pictured: Mother of six jailed for two years
Donna Conniff has been jailed for two years at Teesside Crown Court after she was caught on camera throwing bricks at police during a protest in Hartlepool.
01:19 PM BST
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We’re bringing you the latest updates from the riots sentencing.
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