Thug part of '10-strong gang like pack of dogs' attacked boy 'for no other reason than skin colour'

Alfie Holdswoth, 20
-Credit: (Image: Cleveland Police)


A thug who joined in with a group attack on a 14-year-old boy has been jailed.

The boy was out on his bike with his older brother, when he got caught up in the violence of the Middlesbrough protests on August 4. Teesside Crown Court has heard that the boy "was attacked by at least 10 men, who were mainly Asian" and who the judge said "picked out the boy for no other reason than his skin colour".

The victim was kicked and punched to the ground. Alfie Holdsworth kicked the boy twice as he lay on the ground, towards the end of the attack. The boy's mother has said that the men were like a "pack of dogs".

In a statement read out to the court, the victim's mum said that her son has also had "to deal with the indignity of knowing that the assault was recorded and posted on social media". She said that her son does not sleep well any more and that she has noticed he is reluctant to leave the house on his own, although "he won't talk to his mam about it".

The court heard that Holdsworth, 20 - who is also known as Alfie Holdsworth-Hussain - attended the riots to "protect his place of worship" after he heard that the town's Mosque, on Waterloo Road, had been damaged. Holdsworth's barrister, Michael Cahill said that his client had "wanted to protect the elders and he had not gone out looking for trouble".

The protest turned violent after an object was thrown into the crowd on Linthorpe Road. Rioters tried to break through a police line, which blocked them from spilling out into Clarendon Road.

The court heard that the 14-year-old boy tried to get out of the area, but became trapped on Linthorpe Road. He was then attacked by the group of men, who kicked him to the ground.

Police with riot shields form a line during disturbances on Middlesbrough's Linthorpe Road
Police with riot shields form a line during disturbances on Middlesbrough's Linthorpe Road -Credit:Teesside Live/Craig Connor

Judge Jonathan Carroll said that there is "no suggestion that the boy was there as a marcher or participant in the trouble". The judge continued: "He was picked out for no other reason that his colour.

"This was a substantial group attack on him - he was punched and kicked and driven to the ground. You delivered two blows to his body when he was on the ground."

Holdsworth, now of Axwell Terrace in Whickham, Gateshead, pleaded guilty to violent disorder. He has never been in trouble with the police before.

Letter failed to apologise to boy

Mr Cahill told the court that his client "is particularly suggestible compared to others because of his autism." But the judge refuted the defence's mitigation, citing the psychiatrist's report that Holdsworth is not especially suggestible, but that he is autistic and has ADHD.

"He lost his grandfather shortly before the incident," Mr Cahill said, "this led him to be more emotive that he would be ordinarily. He's sorry for his actions."

Judge Carroll told Holdsworth: "There was a march by one group and a counter group sought to challenge them. Essentially this was a political matter on both sides.

"Middlesbrough is a diverse, multicultural community. That is simply not going to change. Whatever differences we have between communities must be dealt with in a proper, law-abiding way.

"I accept that you didn't go looking for trouble. Undoubtedly that counter protest group threw missiles into the marching group - that triggered violence. You were involved in it - the particular victim was 14-years-old.

"I accept that you are on the autistic spectrum and have ADHD, but I do not accept that you are particularly suggestible. You had a choice and you chose to get involved."

The judge said that the letter Holdsworth had written to the court , apologising for his actions, "completely failed to apologise to the 14-year-old boy." Holdsworth was jailed for 14 months.

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