81-year-old who says he stood on protester’s leg to help the police is oldest charged over riots

An 81-year-old man who claims he was arrested after standing on a protester’s leg to prevent him from getting away from the police has become the oldest person charged in connection with the far-right riots.

Keith Edwards, who is accused of using abusive or threatening behaviour with intent to cause fear or provoke unlawful violence, appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Friday where he pleaded not guilty to the charges.

His solicitor said Mr Edwards had “no involvement” in the pre-planned protest in Nottingham and was actually “assisting” the police by putting his foot on the leg of a man they were trying to arrest.

The defendant, of Kinglake Place, Nottingham, was granted unconditional bail by District Judge Michelle Jeffreys, who set a trial date for October 7 at the same court.

Violent disorder

Meanwhile, an arsonist who took part in rioting in Rotherham, South Yorkshire attacks has been jailed for nine years.

Painter and decorator Thomas Birley was handed the longest prison sentence so far following the rioting in early August

Birley was part of a group which smashed windows and added wood to a fire against the building at a Holiday Inn in Manvers, Rotherham, in South Yorkshire.

He previously pleaded guilty to a charge of arson with intent to endanger life, violent disorder, and possessing an offensive weapon.

Recorder of Sheffield Judge Jeremy Richardson KC told Birley, 27, his case was “unquestionably” one of the most serious of the dozens he has dealt with in the last month concerning the rioting outside the hotel on August 4.

Sheffield Crown Court heard how Birley, of Swinton, Rotherham, was involved in many of the worst incidents on that Sunday afternoon, including adding wood to the fire in the large industrial bin which had been pushed against an exit and helping place a further bin on top of the one ablaze.

Endanger life

Birley was also filmed throwing missiles at the police, squaring up to officers while brandishing a police baton and throwing a large bin which crashed into a line of police with riot shields.

The defendant became the first person to be sentenced for arson with intent to endanger life following the 12 hours of violence in Manvers which left 64 police officers, three horses and a dog injured.

Judge Richardson heard how 22 staff in the hotel barricaded themselves into the hotel’s panic room with freezers and “thought they were going to burn to death”.

He said he needed to pass an extended sentence due to Birley’s ongoing dangerousness, which included an extended five-year licence period.