The funeral of a grandad found dead in a Doncaster prison after being jailed for taking part in rioting outside a hotel housing asylum seekers has taken place.

61-year-old Peter Lynch was found unresponsive in his cell at HMP Moorland on 19 October.

He was serving two years and eight months after pleading guilty to violent disorder and being part of unrest at the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers on 4 August.

Mourners gathered at Ardsley Crematorium near Barnsley this morning, with his family asking for people to attend to pay their respects.

The funeral of Peter Lynch, who was found hanged in his Doncaster prison cell, has taken place.

placeholder image — The funeral of Peter Lynch, who was found hanged in his Doncaster prison cell, has taken place.

Mr Lynch, of Burman Road, Wath-upon-Dearne, had four adult children and three grandchildren.

He called asylum seekers “child killers” and shouted racist comments at police during a riot at the hotel and was also pictured at the demo holding aloft a placard saying that politicians, police, judges, the media, MPs, NASA, reporters and a string of other “deep state” groups were all “corrupt.”

Lynch went to the hotel on 4 August and shouted "racist and provocative remarks" towards officers, the Recorder of Sheffield Judge Jeremy Richardson KC told Sheffield Crown Court during his sentencing.

Body-worn camera footage was shown to the court of him screaming "you are protecting people who are killing our kids and raping them" at officers with riot shields.

More than 200 asylum seekers took shelter upstairs and staff barricaded themselves into the kitchen as violence erupted outside.

More than 60 police officers were injured in the violent scenes, as a marauding mob stormed the hotel and attempted to set it on fire.