Child, 11, becomes youngest person to be arrested over riots

An overturned car burns during rioting in Middlesbrough earlier this month
An overturned car burns during rioting in Middlesbrough earlier this month - TEBL/BACKGRID UK

An 11-year-old child has become the youngest person to be arrested for alleged violent disorder during the riots this summer.

Cleveland Police said officers had detained a total of 14 people on Wednesday in connection with the rioting.

The force said the child arrested is the youngest person yet to be detained on suspicion of violent disorder.

Another 11-year-old was previously arrested on suspicion of arson in connection with the riots, police said.

“Teams of officers headed out this morning to target those believed to be involved in the disorder,” the force said. “The ages of those arrested were between 11 years old and 43 years old.”

Middlesbrough experienced a night of unrest on Sunday Aug 4 following misinformation on social media about the fatal stabbing of three young girls in Southport.

Police have made further arrests after the far-Right violence that flared in Middlesbrough on Aug 4
Police have made further arrests after the far-Right violence that flared in Middlesbrough on Aug 4 - Ian Forsyth/Getty Images

Cleveland Police said it had now arrested 110 people following the trouble in Hartlepool and Middlesbrough, which was some of the worst seen as violence flared across the country.

The 14 people arrested on Wednesday were detained in a series of coordinated raids. Before the officers set out, Supt Marc Anderson briefed them, saying: “I was silver commander on Sunday Aug 4 and never in my 30 years’ service have I seen anything like that in Middlesbrough.”

One strike team arrested two people at an address in St Catherine’s Court – a man aged 23 and a 43-year-old woman – on suspicion of violent disorder.

Neighbours looked on in shock as the officers banged on the suspects’ door before they were led away, with the man covering his face with a hoodie.

The arrested woman yelled at the media to stop filming her as she was escorted to a police van.

Cleveland Police officers arrest a man in Middlesbrough
Cleveland Police officers arrest a man in Middlesbrough - Owen Humphreys/PA

The team then moved on to an address in Limerick Avenue, Stockton, Teesside, where a 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder.

He swore at the media as he was filmed being led to the police van, calling reporters “muppets” and saying: “Go and get some proper news.”

After the raids were successfully completed, Det Ch Insp Sarah Robinson, in charge of the operation to catch the Middlesbrough disorder suspects, said: “The message is you haven’t got away with it.”

On Tuesday, 16 people appeared at Teesside Crown Court in connection with the riots. All those who appeared were charged with violent disorder. A number were also accused of possession of an offensive weapon.