Riots broke out at the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers Way, Rotherham on the afternoon of August 4, 2024, after around 750 anti-immigration protesters arrived at the hotel, where asylum seekers were being housed.
The riots formed part of more than a dozen protests held across the country, many of which turned violent. The protests were fuelled by misinformation and followed a shocking knife attack in Southport, Merseyside, in which three young girls were killed.
Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, condemned the actions of those involved in the Rotherham riots. She said: “The criminal, violent attack on a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham is utterly appalling.”
“Deliberately setting fire to a building with people known to be inside.”
“South Yorkshire police have full government support for the strongest action against those responsible.”
South Yorkshire Police confirmed that around 51 officers were injured in violent skirmishes, during which protesters are alleged to have thrown ‘items such as bricks, fence posts, branches and other missiles’ at them.
Sheffield’s courts have heard details of rioters, one of whom rocked a police van - leaving an officer fearing for his life, with another shooting a flaming arrow towards police, and a third having hurled missiles at officers.
18-year-old Kenzie Roughley became the first of the rioters to be jailed, during a Sheffield Crown Court hearing held on Friday, August 9 - just five days after the disorder took place.
Sending him to begin a sentence of two years, four months, The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, told him: "There was major civil disorder in the Manvers area of Rotherham. It was part of wider, national civil unrest.
“It was fostered by some form of malignancy in society spread by malevolent users of social media. The disorder was racist in character and extremely frightening for anyone who was there. It was perpetrated by an ignorant mob, of which you were a part."
“You were part of a group desirous of provoking police officers and spreading hate. It was an incident of major public disorder which has badly damaged the reputation of Rotherham and South Yorkshire. It would have – and doubtless did – terrify the ordinary decent citizens of that town.” South Yorkshire Police confirmed today (August 28) that a total of 66 people have now been charged in connection with the disorder, 52 of whom have been convicted after entering guilty pleas.
More rioters are expected to be charged and sentenced in the coming days and weeks.
The force says it is continuing to ‘come after those involved’, warning that rioters still at large ‘will be arrested...will be put in front of a judge and will be punished’.
21. David Chadwick: Pleaded guilty to violent disorder
David Chadwick, 36, of Furlong Road, Goldthorpe, Barnsley, pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Sheffield Magistrates' Court on 16 August. He is due to appear before Sheffield Crown Court on 19 August for sentencing. | SYP
22. Michael Bailey: Jailed for two years, four months for violent disorder
A grandfather-of-seven ‘gleefully’ told a police officer ‘it’s happening today, that hotel’s getting burned down today’ during widespread disorder outside a Rotherham hotel housing asylum seekers. Sheffield Crown Court was shown body-worn footage of 50-year-old Michael Bailey, who was dressed in a red England shirt and seen to be drinking alcohol during parts of the disorder, making the comment to a police officer. Judge Richardson, who branded the utterance ‘racist,’ told Bailey: “You made that observation in the midst of disorder of a considerable degree. You said it gleefully to the police officer. “You knew exactly what was going to happen, moreover it did happen.” The court has previously heard of a large industrial bin being set alight and placed in the way of the hotel’s fire exit during the course of the disorder, following which attempts were made to place a second bin on top of it and to set that on fire. Bailey’s conduct did not end there, prosecutor, Joseph Bell, told the court, adding that Bailey was one of two men who lay in the road in an attempt to prevent a police dog van from moving off. Describing what happened next, Judge Richardson added: “A wing mirror had been damaged by others. You knocked it off. The driver, thus, couldn’t see what was going on behind him in the midst of this disorder. It was very unsafe, it was very dangerous.” Bailey, of Hawthorne Drive, Bolton-upon-Dearne, Rotherham, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and criminal damage at Sheffield Magistrates' Court on August 19, 2024. Defending, Emma Coverley, told the court that Bailey, who has no other criminal convictions, saw information regarding a peaceful protest being shared online, and walked to the scene of the disorder alone. Ms Coverley stressed that while Bailey talked about the hotel being burned down he had ‘never indicated that he would be involved with that’. She told the court that Bailey has three adult children and seven grandchildren, for whom he plays a ‘very active role in their care’. Ms Coverley told the court that while Bailey’s wife, who was present in court to support him, works, he is the main breadwinner and their finances were likely to be detrimentally affected by a prison sentence. She agreed with Judge Richardson’s suggestion that the couple may now lose their house. Judge Richardson sentenced Bailey to two years, four months in custody, along with a 10-year criminal order, and told him: “It defies belief, almost, that a man aged 50 with a respectable family should behave as you did, but you did, and you must be punished.” “You have brought ruin upon yourself, and upon your family. You are the architect of that disaster.” | SYP
23. Brad Westerman: pleaded guilty to violent disorder
Brad Westerman, aged 24, of Washington Road, Goldthorpe, Barnsley, pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Sheffield Magistrates' Court on August 19. He is due to appear before Sheffield Crown Court on August 21 for sentencing | SYP
![A dad-of-two who had turned his life around after a troubled criminal past has been told his family should be ‘deeply ashamed’ of him, after he donned a balaclava and participated in several parts of the ‘notorious’ disorder at a Rotherham hotel, during which over 50 police officers were injured.
Judge Richardson judged 27-year-old Jordan Teal to have played a part ‘in almost every theatre of activity and serious activity in particular’ during the events that unfolded outside the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers, Rotherham on August 4.
The court heard how Teal’s partner, who has significant health problems, and the couple’s two children may now be facing homelessness due to not being able to keep up with mortgage payments while he is behind bars.
“You’ve wrecked your family,” said Judge Richardson, and told him that his family should be ‘deeply ashamed’ of him.
Detailing Teal’s ‘extensive’ role, which he described as ‘racist from first to last,’ Judge Richardson continued: “You were outside the front of the hotel shouting abuse at the police officers, protecting the front entrance. You were wearing a balaclava, and you said - in a venomous fashion: “Police protecting paedophiles inside the hotel’.
“You were also chanting, along with others: ‘Save our kids’.
“You were being as provocative as provocative could be. You were uttering venomous comments towards the occupants of the hotel. You were intent on violence, that is self-evident.”
“You went around to an area of the hotel where there was a fence. You were part of a group who ripped up that fence. That fence was to be used, and indeed was used, as a form of missile.
“As part and parcel of that, you were part of a group who smashed windows and attacked, in a vicious, violent and deliberate fashion, that attacked the hotel, thereby terrifying the occupants.”
“Finally, you were part of a group after that, hurling high-octane abuse at police officers.”
Teal, aged 34, of Railway Terrace, Goldthorpe, Barnsley, pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Sheffield Magistrates' Court on August 19.
Prosecutor, Joseph Bell, told the court that Teal has a criminal record consisting of 13 previous offences from nine convictions, the most recent of which was a decade ago in 2014.
Defending Emma Coverley told the court that Teal is a father to two young children, aged two and seven, adding that his last conviction in 2014 had been a ‘turning point,’ following which he had found gainful work as a groundskeeper.
“In fact that has allowed the family to buy a house,” Ms Coverley said.
Ms Coverley detailed how Teal’s partner is unable to work because she has epilepsy, something she described as a ‘significant health problem,’ and said she had been reliant upon Teal’s care.
She told the court that Teal’s partner was almost certainly going to be unable to make the mortgage payments on her own.
Jailing Teal for two years, eight months, Judge Richardson said: “[Your partner] is almost certainly going to be made homeless…your children will be put out of their house.”
“All of this misery - and make no mistake there will be misery - that you have caused your family is down to you. Public shaming, economic deprivation, they will suffer because of your actions.”
Judge Richardson also made Teal the subject of a 10-year criminal behaviour order.](https://www.thestar.co.uk/jpim-static/image/2024/08/20/12/09/Jordan-Teal-Pleaded-guilty-to-violent-disorder.jpg?crop=4:3&trim=&width=800)
24. Jordan Teal: Jailed for two years, eight months for violent disorder
A dad-of-two who had turned his life around after a troubled criminal past has been told his family should be ‘deeply ashamed’ of him, after he donned a balaclava and participated in several parts of the ‘notorious’ disorder at a Rotherham hotel, during which over 50 police officers were injured. Judge Richardson judged 27-year-old Jordan Teal to have played a part ‘in almost every theatre of activity and serious activity in particular’ during the events that unfolded outside the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers, Rotherham on August 4. The court heard how Teal’s partner, who has significant health problems, and the couple’s two children may now be facing homelessness due to not being able to keep up with mortgage payments while he is behind bars. “You’ve wrecked your family,” said Judge Richardson, and told him that his family should be ‘deeply ashamed’ of him. Detailing Teal’s ‘extensive’ role, which he described as ‘racist from first to last,’ Judge Richardson continued: “You were outside the front of the hotel shouting abuse at the police officers, protecting the front entrance. You were wearing a balaclava, and you said - in a venomous fashion: “Police protecting paedophiles inside the hotel’. “You were also chanting, along with others: ‘Save our kids’. “You were being as provocative as provocative could be. You were uttering venomous comments towards the occupants of the hotel. You were intent on violence, that is self-evident.” “You went around to an area of the hotel where there was a fence. You were part of a group who ripped up that fence. That fence was to be used, and indeed was used, as a form of missile. “As part and parcel of that, you were part of a group who smashed windows and attacked, in a vicious, violent and deliberate fashion, that attacked the hotel, thereby terrifying the occupants.” “Finally, you were part of a group after that, hurling high-octane abuse at police officers.” Teal, aged 34, of Railway Terrace, Goldthorpe, Barnsley, pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Sheffield Magistrates' Court on August 19. Prosecutor, Joseph Bell, told the court that Teal has a criminal record consisting of 13 previous offences from nine convictions, the most recent of which was a decade ago in 2014. Defending Emma Coverley told the court that Teal is a father to two young children, aged two and seven, adding that his last conviction in 2014 had been a ‘turning point,’ following which he had found gainful work as a groundskeeper. “In fact that has allowed the family to buy a house,” Ms Coverley said. Ms Coverley detailed how Teal’s partner is unable to work because she has epilepsy, something she described as a ‘significant health problem,’ and said she had been reliant upon Teal’s care. She told the court that Teal’s partner was almost certainly going to be unable to make the mortgage payments on her own. Jailing Teal for two years, eight months, Judge Richardson said: “[Your partner] is almost certainly going to be made homeless…your children will be put out of their house.” “All of this misery - and make no mistake there will be misery - that you have caused your family is down to you. Public shaming, economic deprivation, they will suffer because of your actions.” Judge Richardson also made Teal the subject of a 10-year criminal behaviour order. | SYP