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’.
33. Regan Urruty Dever: Pleaded guilty to violent disorder
Regan Urruty Dever, aged 22, of Ouse Terrace, Doncaster, has pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Sheffield Magistrates' Court on 21 August. He is due to be sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on 28 August. | SYP
34. Graham Harper: Pleaded guilty to violent disorder
Graham Harper, aged 43, of Henry Street, Darfield, Barnsley, has pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Sheffield Magistrates' Court on 20 August. He is due to be sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on 11 September. | SYP
35. Christopher Rodgers: Jailed for two years for violent disorder
A self-employed gas fitter who watched hours of rioting outside a Rotherham hotel while filming the violence on Snapchat turned on officers when he was bitten by a police dog "in an area of particular tenderness", his barrister told Sheffield Crown Court . Christopher Rodgers , 38, of Millmoor Road, Barnsley , was jailed for two years on Friday by a judge who heard how he did nothing but film for most of the events of August 4 outside the Holiday Inn Express, which was housing more than 200 asylum seekers. But, as officers were trying to clear pockets of those involved, Rodgers was in group of people who threw missiles at the police in a nearby housing estate. The court heard how he was also aggressive towards officers as they were arresting him. Adrian Strong , defending, told Judge Jeremy Richardson KC his client had seen the afternoon as something of a "social occasion", adding: "There was chatting, there was talking, there was high spirits and alcohol started flowing." Mr Strong said his client's attitude changed when he was bitten three times by police dogs, one "in an area of particular tenderness". The court heard how, after he was bitten by the dog, Rodgers shouted: "Why are you refusing to take an Englishman to hospital?" The barrister said: "He can't apologise enough for his behaviour on that day and to the police officers in particular." | SYP
36. Mason Reddy: Pleaded guilty to violent disorder
Mason Reddy, aged 24, of Victoria Street, Goldthorpe, Barnsley, has pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Sheffield Magistrates' Court on 23 August. He will appear before Sheffield Crown Court for sentencing on 10 September. | SYP