Doncaster bricklayer who stormed asylum seeker hotel during riot is jailed

Ashley Williams, 21, was filmed throwing a fire extinguisher and a chair at police during the riot at the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers on August 4 as more than 200 asylum seekers took shelter upstairs while terrified staff barricaded themselves inside a kitchen.

The footage was shown at Sheffield Crown Court along with clips which showed him emerging from the building and throwing the fire extinguisher at a line of police officers with riot shields who were pinned against a wall.

Williams, of Lowfield Walk, Denaby Main, then threw a chair at officers.

64 police officers, four horses and a dog were injured in the violence outside the hotel and the mob tried to set fire to the building as a number of people smashed their way in through a fire door.

He was jailed for two years and six months.