Thug arrested outside crown court after chanting racist abuse

A vile thug spewed aggressive and racist threats at a number of people outside Liverpool Crown Court while his friend was sentenced for his role in the Suites Hotel disorder.

John Edward Cain, of Shirdley Avenue, Kirkby, was arrested outside the court building after making a number of aggressive and racist chants and threats at around 2.20pm on March 15 this year. At the time, a group of men were being sentenced at crown court for their part in a violent disorder on February 10 last year outside the Suites Hotel in Kirkby where asylum seekers were being housed.

Cain, 41, spewed specific racist comments to two women and a man as well as chanting general racist abuse. He claimed he was protesting because one of his friends was among those being sentenced for the Suites Hotel disorder. One of the women had confronted him and asked him to stop making the remarks.

READ MORE: Primary school friends were reunited in the pub but their night had a bloody ending

READ MORE: Pervert grandad turned up to court so drunk he fell over and couldn't be sentenced

Several members of the public rang the police to complain about Cain's behaviour, while another member of the public recorded the audio of his chants. Cain was arrested and taken to Belle Vale police station where he continued to make some of the comments.

He was charged with two counts of racially aggravated intentional harassment and pleaded guilty at a hearing in Liverpool Magistrates' Court on March 8 2024. He was sentenced on April 10 to 16 weeks in prison.

Senior Crown Prosecutor Emily Comer, of Crown Prosecution Service Mersey-Cheshire, said: "John Cain made several racist and aggressive chants and slurs as he walked around the area outside Liverpool Crown Court. Some of the remarks were aimed at specific people simply because of their race or because they challenged him about his abuse.

“His remarks were derogatory, upsetting and criminal. Many passers-by were understandably shocked by his behaviour and called the police. Hate crime has devastating consequences for individuals and tackling hate crime is a priority for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). We are determined to bring perpetrators to justice. The CPS would like to thank those who came forward and supported this prosecution.

"Cain claimed his criminality was sparked because a friend of his was being sentenced in the crown court. That is neither an explanation nor an excuse. He humiliated both himself and others that day and his hate speech will not be tolerated. His sentence was increased to reflect the hate crime element of the offending."

Eight men were sentenced for their roles in the violent scenes outside the Suites Hotel. The disturbance came after a video which allegedly showed an asylum seeker, who was being housed at the site in Kirkby "asking a 15-year-old girl for her phone number and a kiss" was circulated on social media, leading to what a judge described as a "grotesquely distorted and false narrative" about people in the hotel.

An initially peaceful protest resulted in a police van being torched and fireworks, rocks, glass bottles and a concrete slab being thrown at officers. Paul Lafferty, Jonjo O'Donoghue, Brian McPadden and Thomas Mills were found guilty of violent disorder following a trial at Liverpool Crown Court in relation to their involvement in the incident. Harry Boynton, Warren Cullen, Liam Jones, Christopher Shelley and John Tippler admitted the same charge.

And seven of them were imprisoned for a combined 18 years and three months. Boynton was handed a 16-month prison sentence suspended for two years. Shelley failed to attend both days of the sentencing and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest. He remains wanted at this time.

Sentencing, Judge Denis Watson KC said: "Without a single piece of evidence to support it, a grotesquely distorted and false narrative gained traction. That all of those housed at the hotel were rapists and the police were protecting sex offenders and so were just as bad as sex offenders.

"Some wanted to protest loudly, but not violently. However, a substantial number were there to indulge in threats, abuse and violence. There followed some four hours of widespread and serious public disorder. Many began to act aggressively and violently. The 40 or 50 police officers present were in danger of being overwhelmed by what had become an angry and violent mob.

"This was sustained and extremely hostile mob violence towards asylum seekers and the police, which involved petrol bombs, numerous fireworks and dangerous missiles. It resulted in three officers being injured. Parts of major roads such as the M57 motorway had to be closed for several hours. There was serious disruption to the community.

"Only the resilience and determination of police officers prevented the mob from being able to enter the hotel where the asylum seekers were housed. The events of that evening brought shame to the town of Kirkby and to Merseyside generally."

Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the Echo Daily newsletter here.