UK riots latest: 'Standing army' of officers announced to tackle riots; police boss grabs journalist's mic (2024)

Hundreds of people have been arrested during riots across the country.Dozens are appearing in court today, met with additional prosecutors, as the judiciary attempts to meet Sir Keir Starmer's demand for swift justice.

Home affairs reporter Henry Vaughanis in Liverpool Magistrates' Court, where some of those cases are being heard. Here's his latest report...

A 14-year-old boy understands how "foolish and silly he has been" after pleading guilty to violent disorder over the rioting in Liverpool city centre, a court has heard.

The teenager, from Liverpool, was part of a group of eight to 12 males who were lighting fireworks and setting them off in the direction of members of the public and police officers near a branch of B&M in Clayton Square that had already been looted on Saturday night, the court heard.

The teenager, who can't be identified because of his age, was caught on CCTV footage with a firework in his hand but when arrested told officers: "I'm sorry, I wasn't firing them at you."

The court heard he has no previous convictions and has never been in trouble with the police before.

His lawyer, Iqbal Singh Kang, said the incident was "completely out of character for him and his family". The boy's father and uncle were in court.

He said the youngster went to the city centre to catch a bus and amid the "widescale disorder across the city became involved with people he didn't know who were offering out various fireworks".

Mr Kang said the teenager was held in police custody for two days, adding: "Now he's thought it through properly he understands how foolish and silly he has been and wishes he could turn the clock back."

The teenager was granted bail, with a condition he doesn't enter Liverpool city centre, ahead of sentencing on 27 August.

A resident helping to clean up the streets of Rotherham has said the riots made her "sad to be English".

Paris Marshall, 28, watched from her home yesterday as rioters attacked a hotel for asylum seekers, "trashing everything".

"There was no way we were leaving the house yesterday. I've never seen anything like it," she said.

"It makes me sad to be English really, because this is the kind of people that people all over the world are going to see."

Alongside her, Joshua Evers, 31, said violence was never the answer.

"None of this had to happen. It is misinformation. That's what it is."

The response from the police was excellent, he added.

"If it wasn't for the police, I would have felt far more unsafe. They did an absolutely fantastic job."

Sir Keir Starmer says police will have access to a "standing army of specialist officers" to deal with the riots, after a COBRA meeting.

The standing army consists of officers "ready to be deployed to support communities", he says.

Criminal justice will be "ramped up", he adds, with the PM requesting the earliest identification of those involved.

He says he has also been assured that criminality online is being tackled as seriously as offline.

"We will have a standing army of specialist officers, public duty officers, so that we will have enough to deal with this."

Sir Keir says: "This is not protest - it is pure violence and we will not tolerate attacks on mosques or our Muslim communities."

Asked about calls to recall parliament, Sir Keir says his focus is on making sure "our streets are safe".

Responding to accusations from Reform UK of so-called "two-tier policing", Sir Keir says: "There is no two-tier policing. There is policing without fear or favour, exactly as it should be. Exactly as I would expect an require. So that is a non-issue."

One of the issues raised after the riots of last week was the role of social media.

Elon Musk, the owner of X, posted "civil war is inevitable" in response to someone blaming migration for the riots.

Asked about this, Downing Street has said there was "no justification" for such comments.

Social media firms 'can do more'

They added the government is working with social media platforms to ensure disinformation is removed - but that more could be done.

Social media companies have a responsibility to ensure disinformation is removed, and they will be held to account, they added.

Asked if there was evidence of foreign state actors being involved, for example Russia, the spokesperson said there had been bot activity which may well have been amplified by state actors.

High street retailer Lush said its staff were "devastated" after the company's branch in Hull was targeted by looters.

The store was left with smashed front windows and products littered outside the front door.

It was one of several retailers hit over the weekend, including Hull's Shoe Zone outlet and a Sainsbury's Local branch in Manchester.

Lush said: "We are devastated at what has happened to our beautiful shop in Hull and how our fellow retailers have also been treated.

"We are proud to be part of a multiracial Britain and to be part of the wonderful, vibrant and diverse community of Hull."

Meanwhile, the owner of Holiday Inn issued a brief response after anti-immigration rioters smashed windows and started fires at several of its hotels housing asylum seekers.

Intercontinental Hotels Group, which owns Holiday Inn, said: "The safety and security of our guests and colleagues is always our priority. Any further questions should be directed to the Home Office."

Hundreds of people have been arrested during riots across the country.Dozens are appearing in court today, met with additional prosecutors, as the judiciary attempts to meet Sir Keir Starmer's demand for swift justice.

Home affairs reporter Henry Vaughanis in Liverpool Magistrates' Court, where some of those cases are being heard. Here's his latest report...

A man has pleaded guilty to burglary after a library was set on fire and looted during riots in Liverpool.

Merseyside Police said about 300 people were involved in violent disorder on County Road, Walton, on Saturday night, which included community facilities being set on fire.

TheSpellowLaneLibraryHub, which was opened last year to provide support for one of the most deprived communities in the country, suffered severe damage to the ground floor.

Appearing at Liverpool Magistrates' Court today, Adam Wharton, 28, from Walton, admitted burglary with intent to steal from the library yesterday.

He stood in the dock wearing a grey, prison-issue tracksuit, speaking to give his name, date of birth and address before entering a guilty plea.

The court heard that those committing the disorder were involved in arson, throwing bricks and other projectiles, while a police helicopter observed a man enter the library, which had previously been burnt out and looted.

Ellis Wharton, 22, who is due to appear in court later, was allegedly found inside with a computer monitor, while his brother Adam Wharton acted as a lookout, the court heard.

"He was wearing a balaclava and profusely sweating," said prosecutor Joshua Sanderson-Kirk.

The court heard Wharton has 16 previous convictions for 26 offences, including robbery and burglary.

He was attacked in the cells before entering court, suffering a bleeding nose and an injury to his eye, the court was told.

District Judge Timothy Boswell remanded him in custody until 29 August, when he will be sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court, saying the case was too serious to deal with in the magistrates’ court.

As he left the dock, Wharton said: "Nice one, sh*tty arse judge man."

The head of the Metropolitan Police has grabbed a Sky News reporter's microphone as he left the Cabinet Office.

Sir Mark Rowley took hold of the mic, which appeared to fall to the ground, when asked: "Are we going to end two-tier policing sir?"

A COBRA emergency response meeting had just been held on how the government and police will respond to the riots.

Commenting on the riots earlier, Nigel Farage suggested there was "the impression of two-tier policing", claiming Black Lives Matter protesters were dealt with more favourably.

Dame Priti Patel, the former Tory home secretary, said such comments were "not correct".

"There is a clear difference between effectively blocking streets or roads being closed, to burning down libraries, hotels, food banks and attacking places of worships.

"What we have seen is thuggery, violence, racism."

The government's emergency response meeting appears to have concluded.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has left the Cabinet Office, ignoring questions from the media as she walked to her car outside.

COBRA, named after Cabinet Office Briefing Room A in Whitehall, is a committee made up of ministers, civil servants, the police, intelligence officers and other relevant officials that meets to discuss emergency response plans.

Ministers and police representatives were discussing their response to the riots in the coming days.

South Yorkshire Police is speaking about rioters and protesters in Rotherham and Sheffield.

Assistant Chief Constable Lindsey Butterfield says there have so far been six arrests, but the number will "increase significantly".

Approximately 750 arrived in Wath upon Dearne, Rotherham, with "far-right, anti-immigration views", while another large group descended on Sheffield.

"We began to see an escalation in violence in Wath. Hotel windows were smashed and there was a concerted effort to cause damage to the interior and serious harm to those inside.

"There was a particularly sickening moment when a wheelie bin was pushed against the hotel and set on fire with the clear intent to cause serious harm to the residents and staff.

"It was known there were people residing and working in the hotel, but the mindless individuals responsible had absolutely no regard for their safety.

"It was ultimately a disgusting display of thuggery."

At least 12 police officers were injured, as well as police dogs, and horses attacked with bricks, she adds.

"If you were there, we will find you, and you will be held accountable."