England Riots: Facebook Pair Lose Appeals

Two men jailed for four years for encouraging rioting on Facebook during August's widespread disorder in England have lost appeals against their sentences.

The Court of Appeal upheld the jail terms of Jordan Blackhaw, 21, and 22-year-old Perry John Sutcliffe, dismissing their lawyers' claims the sentences were "excessive".

It backed the judge at Chester Crown Court, saying he "was fully justified in concluding the deterrent sentences were appropriate".

The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, said: "The offenders were caught red handed.

"For the citizens of Northwich and Warrington that was just as well, because... neither offender was joking when the Facebook entry was set up".

Although the judges accepted "no actual harm" occurred, they found that was down to the police rather than either of the men involved.

The Appeal Court upheld the sentences of seven out of 10 people who challenged the prison terms they were given for crimes committed during the riots.

The three judges, led by Lord Judge, appeared to distinguish between those who had directly participated in the riots and those whose crimes "stemmed from the public disorder but were not intrinsic to it".

They halved the sentences of David Beswick, a 31-year-old coach driver from Eccles, Stephen Carter, 26, from Salford and 24-year-old Stephen Craven from Pendleton.

All three had been given prison terms for offences involving the handling of stolen goods.

But the court upheld the asentences given to the other seven appellants, saying they were "appropriate" in the circumstances.

Describing the riots as "deeply disturbing" and "wholly inexcusable", they said the sentences were "intended to provide both punishment and deterrence".

Backing the sentencing principles followed, the judges wrote: "It is very simple.

"Those who deliberately participate in disturbances of this magnitude, causing injury, damage and fear to even the most stout-hearted of citizens... are committing aggravated crimes.

"They must be punished accordingly, and the sentences should be designed to deter others from similar criminal activity."

The court agreed "there is an overwhelming obligation on sentencing courts to do what they can to ensure the protection of the public".

The ruling finished with praise for the "commitment and dedication" of the courts, police, CPS and prison services that dealt with the aftermath of the riots.