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’.
25. Peter Beard: Jailed for two-and-a-half years for violent disorder
A former solider who undertook tours of duty in Kosovo, Bosnia and Northern Ireland has been jailed for two-and-a-half years after admitting pushing aggressively at a line of police with riot shields as they tried to protect a hotel housing asylum seekers. Father-of-three Peter Beard , 43, of Becknoll Road, Brampton Bierlow, Rotherham, was filmed by body-worn cameras at the front of a mob confronting officers outside the Holiday Inn Express. The court heard how Beard's aggression toward the officers came at a critical time in the rioting after the hotel had been breached, attempts had been made to set fire to the building and outnumbered police were trying to disperse hundreds of people. Recorder of Sheffield Judge Jeremy Richardson KC heard how Beard served in the Royal Green Jackets between 1998 and 2003, and the judge said he was "astonished" that the defendant had become involved as he had been "on the receiving end" of public order incidents as a peacekeeper. Sentencing former solider, Judge Richardson KC told him: "Your conduct was shameful, it was disgraceful and, in many respects, astonishing. "The reason I say it was astonishing is because for many years you served in the British Army and undertook several tours of duty which involved peacekeeping operation. "You have been, I'm told, on the receiving end of attacks by those indulging in public disorder in war zones. "You know what it is like to be under attack and, yet, there you were attacking a police officer who was doing his duty. "That's why I have described your conduct as astonishing. "You have been, so to speak, a victim yourself and here you are falling for sentence as a perpetrator." The judge said: "It really is astonishing that I am required to pass a sentence of that kind on an individual such as you. "This is a disaster for you. It's a disaster for your family." | SYP
26. Michael Woods: Pleaded guilty to violent disorder
Michael Woods, aged 64, of Ainsdale Avenue, 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 23 for sentencing | SYP
27. Christian Ivermee: Pleaded guilty to violent disorder
Christian Ivermee, aged 31, of Chapel Street, Mexborough, pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Sheffield Magistrates' Court on August 17. He is due to appear before Sheffield Crown Court on August 23 for sentencing. | SYP
28. Lewis Lynch: Pleaded guulty to violent disorder
Lewis Lynch, aged 30, of Burman Road, Wath-Upon-Dearne, Rotherham, pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Sheffield Magistrates' Court on August 16. He is due to appear before Sheffield Crown Court on August 21 for sentencing | SYP