Business owner went to the pub to celebrate - then took his balaclava off
A balaclava-wearing thug who carried a box of beers to a large-scale disturbance outside a hotel believed to be housing asylum seekers has been jailed.
Ryan Leckey, 24, joined a mass demonstration outside the hotel on Oldham Road, in Newton Heath, on July 31 this year. He was seen to throw a missile towards the hotel whilst others hurled abuse at the occupants and the police.
Afterwards, he went to celebrate in a pub nearby before he was caught on CCTV taking his balaclava off, Manchester Crown Court heard.
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At the same incident, 42-year-old Darren Butler threatened one officer that he would ‘kick your f***ing head’ in before shouting: “They are protecting nonce’s.”
Both were jailed today, September 18, after admitting violent disorder. Disorder spread across the country last month after misinformation spouted online about the killing of three children in Southport.
Prosecuting, Kate Gaskell said police were deployed to the hotel after reporting of a large crowd forming. Racist abuse was hurled as missiles, including eggs, bottles and bricks, were thrown, she said.
Leckey, of Newton Heath, was caught on bodycam walking down the road carrying a large box of beer over his shoulder.
“He was seen picking something up and throwing it, directing it towards the hotel,” Ms Gaskell said. “He was then seen to move off to a local pub and celebrated his actions before taking off his balaclava.”
Mitigating for Leckey, who had no previous convictions, Rebecca Filletti said her client was ‘extremely sorry’.
“He is sorry to the people there, sorry to the victims of this, sorry to the police and sorry to his family,” she said. “He has asked me to tell the court he is ashamed of his behaviour that day and said his family have worked too hard to see him in this situation.”
The court heard that Leckey’s parents were on holiday at the time but had previously expressed concern about his peers. The business owner, who runs his own shoe cobbling company, said he joined a group of friends during the incident.
Butler, of Oldham, was captured on the footage approaching officers who were trying to move the crowd away, with a number of others.
“He could be heard to shout: “I will kick your f***ing head in”. He also shouted: “They are protecting nonce’s”, the prosecutor added.
After the footage of the incident was played to the court, Butler, who appeared over videolink from HMP Dovegate, said: “I am disgusted with myself.” When he was arrested he told officers that he was an ‘idiot’ for going to the riot.
Joshua Bowker, representing Butler, said his client was there for a short period of time and did not take any weapons or throw any missiles. “His involvement is the words said and his demeanour,” the barrister added.
“He suggests he attended out of intrigue and is very regretful.” He said that Butler, who has 25 previous convictions for 52 offences, was last before the courts in 2018.
Sentencing them, Judge Alan Conrad KC said that following the disorder against innocent people: “The courts must make clear, and will keep making clear, that for this sort of behaviour in a civil society, only serious punishment will follow. Deterrent sentences are necessary.”
Leckey, of Lightbowne Road, Newton Heath, was jailed for 16 months. Butler, of Cattlin Way, Oldham, was jailed for 17 months. Both will serve half of their terms in prison before being released on licence.