Sunderland riot yob broke ankle as police arrested him for looting 'as many vapes as he could carry'

A yob who took part in a riot suffered a broken ankle as police arrested him for looting vapes.

Anthony Hobkirk burgled a shop in Sunderland during widespread disorder last month and was spotted by a police officer around 11.30pm on August 2 coming out of a vape shop with "as many vapes as he could carry". He didn't realise there was a police officer right behind him and he was arrested.

After initially being compliant, he resisted arrest and was taken to the ground. During that, he turned his ankle and it was fractured.

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Newcastle Crown Court heard his phone was later examined and showed various clips he had taken during the riot. Michael Bunch, prosecuting, said: "He appears to be providing a running commentary and it's understood he intended to upload this to the internet but it appears due to technical issues they were not uploaded contemporaneously.

"It appears he was filming it and relishing the disorder that was happening around him. It's clear from the clips he is present for a significant portion of the day."

In one clip, he was walking next to a car on fire and said "I love s*** like this". He also used vile racist language and made comments about immigrants.

When interviewed by police, he said he was a functioning alcoholic and said he attended Sunderland that day after walking his dog from Seaham. He denied having any racist motive but Mr Bunch said: "This is a case involving clear racial hostility."

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Hobkirk, 34, of no fixed address, who has previous convictions, including for violence, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and burglary. He was jailed for 31 months by Judge Tim Gittins.

Referring to the burglary, the judge said: "You were carrying as many vapes as you could that day and if ever there was a symbol that your behaviour that day, and of others, was not related to any genuine cause or concern, that typifies it."

Sam Faulks, defending, said the burglary was an "opportunistic venture committed on impulse". He added: "He is obviously not going to win any charm offensive.

"He has expressed remorse but it's qualified by his lack of insight. Given his limitations, he has expressed probably as much remorse as he is able to.

"He has shown clear defects in his thinking behaviour. He fractured his ankle and so understood the error of his ways in a very particular and immediate way."