Man says 'love ya' as he's jailed for what he did in Pret A Manger

A man emptied the contents of a fire extinguisher over customers at Pret A Manger and Black Sheep Coffee in Liverpool ONE. Adam Harvey was identified by police from the "distinctive" tattoos on his neck after embarking upon a rampage of violence across Liverpool city centre.

The thug also launched a can at an officer's head and hurled a brick at a van before breaking into a phone shop. He now says he "got carried away" after widespread disturbances erupted following the fatal stabbings of six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and nine-year-old Alice Da Silva Aguiar in Southport.

Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Wednesday, that Harvey was involved in the incident of "mass disorder" in central Liverpool on August 3 this year. The 37-year-old, of no fixed address, was first seen on camera at around 3pm on the day in question, being identified in footage via the "distinctive tattoos on either side of his neck" by a PC with whom he had had previous dealings.

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Rebecca Smith, prosecuting, described how he thereafter launched a can of beer after forming part of a crowd around 300 people near to the Liver Building, with this missile striking a police officer in the head. PC Rachel Judge, who was not wearing a protective helmet at this stage, was also hit by a second object thrown by a second person and rendered unconscious.

Harvey was later seen throwing another object as he crossed the Strand and chucking a brick at a police carrier van as an officer was driving the vehicle away. As he subsequently made his way through Liverpool ONE with a group of other men shortly, he was shown on CCTV letting off a fire extinguisher over customers who were sitting outside Pret A Manger and Black Sheep Coffee on Paradise Street.

He was then part of a mob who looted iFix phone repair shop on Church Street, being shown in one clip reaching underneath shutters at the storefront and helping himself to a box before throwing the item back inside the premises after realising that it was empty. Harvey was subsequently arrested November 20 and made no comment to detectives when interviewed.

His criminal record shows a total of 34 convictions for 51 offences - including assaulting a police officer and racially-aggravated threatening behaviour in 2004, shoplifting in 2004, 2005, 2011 and 2013, criminal damage in 2012, a public order offence in 2018 and affray and theft in 2021.

John Weate, defending, told the court: "There are personal circumstances which do not in truth mitigate that which he did, but perhaps give some understanding of how he found himself in this position and got carried away with what was going on.

"Historically, he has had a problem with drink. During the course of the last two years, he has done a lot to try to alleviate that problem from his life with some relative success.

"He received bad family news in the spring regarding an illness that his father has, which is a serious illness. As a consequence of that, he fell back into his old ways and started drinking again.

"On the day in question, while not being involved in the planning of the disorder that took place in the city centre, he was in Liverpool with friends and he was participating in drink. When this disorder struck up, he got himself involved."

Harvey admitted violent disorder, burglary and assaulting an emergency services worker. Appearing in the dock wearing a prison issue jumper, he was jailed for 34 months.

Sentencing, Judge Denis Watson KC said: "This case stems from events in the summer following the killing of three children in Southport. There was, the following day, mob violence on a significant scale which itself spawned copycat mob violence in other locations across the country.

"This all had a far reaching impact on the people of Merseyside. Those who choose to participate in such disorder - including causing damage and fear to communities, taking part in looting of shops and causing injury to police officers - will inevitably be punished with sentences designed to deter others from similar activity."

Harvey replied "thank you judge" before turning to the public gallery and smiling to his supporters. He then gave a thumbs up as he was led to the cells and added: "Love yas."