Two jailed for 'encouraging violence' in disorder

Two men who were seen "encouraging violence" when disorder broke out at a hotel housing asylum seekers have been jailed.

Colin Stonehouse, 36, and David Kirkbride, 28, were among the crowd that caused nearly £100,000 of damage to the Holiday Inn Express in Tamworth on 4 August.

The couple, who live in Wilnecote, Staffordshire, were said to have encouraged people to move forward towards police.

Kirkbride was also seen holding Stonehouse back as he shouted abuse at officers, while both were heard questioning why their taxes were being used to house people at the hotel.

Prosecutor Daniel Moore told Stafford Crown Court on Thursday that Kirkbride was seen chanting and laughing when a firework exploded.

After they were arrested, Kirkbride said he did not think he had done anything wrong though he accepted his actions could be perceived as racist.

He denied the fatal stabbings of three girls in Southport in July had an impact on his decision to join in with the disorder.

The court heard Stonehouse told police he wanted to "get his point across" and he was unhappy about his taxes being spent on housing asylum seekers.

Defending the pair, Mark Moore said the couple, who pleaded guilty to violent disorder at an earlier hearing, had shown "incredible naivety".

"They made a stupid decision to go to the protest and they became swept up in that," he added.

Judge John Edwards sentenced the couple to 21 months in prison and imposed a criminal behaviour order (CBO) on them, which bans them from going to the hotel or any other place they believe is housing asylum seekers.

Judge Edwards said they attended out of misplaced curiosity but should have gone home instead of "vociferously venting" their opinions and "encouraging violence".

He said the incident outside the hotel was an excuse for "wanton lawlessness" and those involved were "criminals who do not represent the decent people of Tamworth".

Kirkbride was seen wiping away tears in the dock as the judge addressed him, while Stonehouse sat with his head in his hands throughout the hearing.

"How it comes to be that seemingly sensible, mature, hard-working people find themselves in the dock at the Crown court in the aftermath of this disgraceful incident is beyond me," Judge Edwards said.

He added that while their roles in the disorder were not as serious as others, it would be wrong to look at their acts in a "vacuum" because "violence feeds itself".

"This was planned and co-ordinated conduct and you were both part of it," Judge Edwards said.

"There must be a clear message that any involvement in violence of this nature cannot be tolerated."

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