By Grâçia Ada Obi
A man who drove to a riot in a pick-up truck filled with debris which was used to attack police has been jailed for two years and three months.
Jake Turton, 38, was part of the disorder which broke out outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham, United Kingdom (UK) during the nationwide unrest in August.
A previous hearing at Sheffield Crown Court was told Turton was filmed arriving at the scene of the rioting outside the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers, Rotherham, on August 4 in his Ford Ranger truck – which had wood and other debris on the back.
A Police helicopter captured rioters plundering the vehicle for items which were thrown at police and used to fuel fires which had been set around the hotel.
Turton was arrested after the registration of the vehicle linked his father to the car. He admitted it was him using his father’s car, but refused to comment on any other questions in a police interview.
Turton, of Darfield, Barnsley, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and on Wednesday was jailed for two years and three months, South Yorkshire Police said.
At an earlier hearing, Abigail Langford, defending, told Judge Sarah Wright the prosecution had not alleged that Turton loaded the vehicle with the intention the items would be used to attack the police.
She said: “The Crown do not say that the defendant was arming people with the wood.
“It was on the back of the vehicle and people helped themselves to it. He was present at the scene but he did not actively participate.”
More than 60 men have so far been jailed for their parts in the disorder outside the hotel, which left 64 police officers injured, as well as four dogs and a horse.
Sheffield Crown Court has heard how more than 200 asylum seekers were trapped in the upper floors as rioters smashed windows, set light to a bin pushed against a fire door and broke into the building.
Hotel staff have told the court how they barricaded themselves into a panic room during the rioting, fearing they would die.