Three men jailed in first Crown Court sentences after riots following Southport attack
Three men have been jailed after they admitted to their roles in rioting in the wake of the killing of three young girls in Southport.
The sentences are the first at the Crown Court over the disorder, after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer promised quick punishment for those involved.
Liam Riley, 41, from Kirkdale, admitted to violent disorder and a racially aggravated public order offence in Liverpool city centre on Saturday night.
The court heard he went to the city wearing a St George's flag draped around his neck and had been in four or five pubs before becoming involved in the disorder.
He was "clearly drunk" when arrested and became abusive towards the arresting officer who he called a "traitor" and a "Muslim lover", prosecutor Chris Taylor said.
Riley called other officers "retards" and "made comments about Muslims and immigrants" and "expressed a view both were to blame for the tragic events in Southport," he said.
He later said he "didn't like illegals coming over" but wasn't part of a political group.
Riley, who has no previous convictions but two previous cautions, was jailed for 20 months.
Derek Drummond, 58, from Southport, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assault of an emergency worker in Southport last Tuesday - the day after the three young girls were killed.
The court heard a group of up to 1,000 people were involved in disorder outside a mosque in St Luke's Road in the Merseyside town last Tuesday which lasted for hours and saw some 50 police officers injured.
The crowd chanted "this is our f***ing country", "shithouses, shithouses" and "scumbag bastards" before Drummond punched PC Thomas Ball in the face.
When Drummond was arrested told police he "was a fool and was holding his hands up". He told officers he was "deeply sorry to the people he has let down", the court heard.
He has 14 previous convictions for 19 offences from 1988, which prosecutors said show a "history of violence".
He was jailed for three years.
Declan Geiran, 29, from Liverpool, admitted violent disorder and arson over rioting in Liverpool city centre.
He was caught on CCTV using an implement to set a police van on fire and was found with three lighters when arrested.
He was jailed for two-and-a-half years.
He received 28 months for charges related to the riot - and a further two months for sending threatening messages to a woman, totalling 30 months.
Judge Andrew Menary KC said "every decent member of the community affected by these events will have been appalled, horrified and deeply disturbed about what had taken place in their neighbourhood".
The prime minister has said he hopes this week's sentences will send a "powerful message" to anyone involved in rioting as police prepare for further potential unrest across the country tonight.
-SKY NEWS
