Boy, 12, becomes youngest to be convicted over Southport riot

A 12-year-old boy has become the youngest person to be convicted over a riot in Southport that broke out in the wake of the killing of three young girls.

The youth, who cannot be named because of his age, appeared at Liverpool Youth Court on Monday to plead guilty to violent disorder in the Merseyside town on 30 July.

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Rioting erupted the day after six-year-old Bebe King, Alice da Silva Aguiar, aged nine, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, aged seven, were stabbed in a rampage at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on 29 July.

More than 50 police officers were injured as up to 1,000 people gathered outside a mosque after misinformation spread over the identity of the suspect.

The boy, from Southport, is one of 30 people who have so far been charged over disorder in Southport and Liverpool, according to Merseyside Police.

Police chiefs said more than 975 arrests have been made and 546 charges brought over the disorder across the UK since 29 July.

Another 12-year-old boy pleaded guilty to two charges of violent disorder at Manchester City Magistrates Court on Monday over two separate incidents in the city as the disorder spread to other towns and cities throughout the country.

The court heard he kicked a bus and was seen handing a rock to another youth as a group gathered on 31 July outside a Holiday Inn hotel housing asylum seekers.

He was also filmed by police kicking the window of a vape shop and throwing a missile at a police van during the disorder in the city centre on 3 August.

District Judge Joanne Hirst said the case was "very serious", adding it was the first she had dealt with of a person "attending both incidents" of disorder.

Defending the boy, who was remanded to local authority accommodation ahead of sentencing on 2 September, Natasha McGarr said he was "very sorry" and "absolutely ashamed" of his conduct.

Tory councillor's wife appears in court

The wife of a Conservative Party councillor appeared in court accused of encouraging people on social media to attack hotels housing asylum seekers.

Lucy Connolly, 41, is alleged to have posted on X on the day three girls were stabbed to death in Southport, saying: "Mass deportation now, set fire to all the f****** hotels full of the bastards for all I care... If that makes me racist, so be it."

Her husband, West Northamptonshire councillor Raymond Connolly, was in Northampton Crown Court as she was remanded in custody until 2 September. She is yet to enter a plea to the charge.

Alleged offences seen on social media

James Aspin, 34, of Blyth, Northumberland, admitted sharing a video on TikTok to try to stir up racial hatred during a hearing at Bedlington Magistrates' Court.

Two men whose alleged offences were exposed in social media footage appeared in court in Manchester.

Niall Charnock, 31, was seen breaking through a police barricade and throwing something at officers.

Thomas Ward, 35, admitted throwing missiles at officers and exposing his genitals to a line of police during disorder in Piccadilly Gardens.

Ministers 'will not rest'

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's spokesperson said the government "will not rest until the job is done" when asked if the police and courts will continue to pursue those involved in the riots.

While there was a welcome de-escalation over the weekend, the country remains on "high alert" for further disorder, they said.

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"The job is not done until people feel safe in their communities," they added.

"But thanks to the work of our police officers, prosecutors... and judiciary, we have seen a swift response from the justice system.

"Within a matter of days, we've seen criminals involved arrested, charged, sentenced and behind bars."