Teen who threw loaded sock at police during Middlesbrough riots weeps as he is locked up
A teenage boy who threw items at the police during the Middlesbrough riots on August 4, wept as he was jailed today.
Ethan Bowes, 19, was captured on CCTV throwing an item at two police officers standing next to their van, in chaotic scenes on Victoria Road. He was later captured throwing a sock - filled with heavy items - at a line of police on Granville Road.
He gestured at them and was seen "goading" officers, who were trying to police the violence across the town centre. 320 police officers were taken off normal duties to police the riots that day. The unrest saw bins set on fire, and items thrown at the police, as rioters smashed the windows of university and court buildings.
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On Friday, Bowes appeared at Teesside Crown Court on video link from HMP Durham. He wiped his eyes as his barrister Harry Crowson said that Bowes's parents were in court, and that they had written references about their son, for the judge to read.
When he was arrested shortly after the riots, Bowes had rocks on him. He initially denied the offences, but he later pleaded guilty to violent disorder and to the possession of an offensive weapon.
Mr Crowson told the court that Bowes has spent over five months on remand, and jail "is the last place he expected to be."
"He is not used to the prison environment," Mr Crowson continued, "his parents have missed him a great deal. They have additional needs and his foolish actions have deprived his family business of his help. At the time of his arrest, he was coming out of an extraordinary traumatic event that occurred when he was 14."
The court heard that Bowes was due to start college and that he wanted to be a mental health nurse but "that may be parked forever, now."
Judge Tom Mitchell told Bowes: "You knew what you did. You knew you were guilty and you should have said that earlier on. You took part in the violence that blighted Middlesbrough.
"I have no doubt that your autism led you to follow others. You found yourself caught in the maelstrom of violence that day. It doesn't explain why you chose to throw missiles and taunt the police.
"The true sons and daughters of Middlesbrough weren't there - they were out on the streets the next day cleaning up the mess. This community will recover from what happened and it will come back stronger."
Bowes, of Woodhouse Road in Guisborough, wept as he was sent to a young offenders' institution for 21-months.
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