English Defence League March Is Blocked

The English Defence League (EDL) has been blocked from holding a march in London next month.

Home Secretary Theresa May banned all marches in Tower Hamlets, east London, and four neighbouring boroughs for a 30-day period.

The move followed a request from Scotland Yard, which was based on intelligence about possible violence.

The boroughs affected are Tower Hamlets, Newham, Waltham Forest, Islington, and Hackney.

Police are allowed to ban marches under the Public Order Act with the Home Secretary's approval in order to prevent serious disorder.

Mrs May said she had "carefully considered" the need to balance the right to protest with preserving safety.

Chief Superintendent Julia Pendry, from the Met Police, added: "We have made this decision based on specific intelligence and information, and our message is clear: we do not want people coming into the areas to attend these events."

The ban was welcomed by anti-extremist campaign group Searchlight, who hailed it as a "victory for common sense".

Director Nick Lowles said: "The EDL clearly intended to use the proposed march to bring violence and disorder to the streets of Tower Hamlets. Their plan has been foiled."

He added: "Legitimate protest is healthy. Violence and intimidation are not."

The ban follows weeks after London and other cities across England were hit by widespread rioting and looting.

The fallout from the violence is still being felt, with prison numbers at a record high and courts working flat out to process cases.

Prison numbers rose to a new record for the third week running, up to 86,821. There are only 1,500 further spaces available.

West Midlands Police issued new CCTV footage showing looters raiding an Emporio Armani store at the Mailbox shopping centre on August 8.

It shows a large gang of masked and bare-faced offenders entering the shop at around 10pm, damaging the building and stealing clothes.

Meanwhile, a series of suspects appeared at Birmingham Crown Court which held special sittings to process the glut of cases.

Sky's Midlands correspondent Lisa Dowd was in court to see the sentences handed out in relation to the Birmingham unrest.

She recounted how Judge William Davis QC had said the riots were a time when "our civil society broke down".

The judge insisted 'there is nothing disproportionate about courts sentencing in the context of this kind of disorder', she said.

Judge Davis had told the court: "No ordinary person could walk the streets of the centre of Birmingham in safety."

Among the defendants was Esa Harding, 25, from Bristol Road in the city, who was jailed for 20 months for looting in Armani.

Harding said it was "sheer stupidity" and that he was "deeply ashamed" of his actions, according to Lisa Dowd.

She said he was caught after blood was found by forensic experts and traced.

Harding claimed he had cut his hand entering the store and had to steal a T-shirt to stem the flow of blood.

Norman Khan, 22, who had no previous convictions, was jailed for 16 months for stealing eight packets of cigarettes.

In a different courtroom, Aston Walker, 40, was jailed for 16 months after admitting stealing clothes from H&M.

Justinder Douglas, 24, of no fixed abode, was jailed for 20 months after admitting stealing perfume from House of Fraser.

Ayub Ahmed, 23, from Coventry, was also jailed for 20 months after admitting handling stolen goods.

He had been found with three Orange mobile phones, an Armani watch and a pair of trousers, the court heard.