Courts uphold riot sentences despite appeals
18 October 2011
by Stephen Gregory
Several individuals convicted of riot offences for their part in the unrest across the UK in August of this year have had appeals against their sentences rejected.
While three appellants, all convicted for theft-related offences, had their sentences halved, seven other appellants saw their sentences upheld.
Among the sentenced who had their jail terms upheld were Jordan Blackshaw and Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan, each jailed for four years for trying to organise riots in their native Cheshire through Facebook.
Despite the arguments of their lawyers claiming that Blackshaw’s and Sutcliffe-Keenan’s sentences were “manifestly excessive”, the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, took no pity on them, stating that the fact that their actions were carried out via social media did not excuse the fact that Blackshaw and Sutcliffe-Keenan were attempting to instigate copycat mayhem in their own town.
Lord Judge declared his agreement with the original sentencing judge, indicating that he was “fully justified in concluding that deterrent sentences were appropriate”.
The conviction of the Cheshire is something of a geographical anomaly among the overall arrests for the riots in August, with the majority of the arrests coming in London and Greater Manchester.
While a majority of the arrests and convictions have been for burglary and theft-related offences, a significant number of individuals have been found guilty of other social media related offences, including David Glyn Jones, who posted the message “Let’s start Bangor riots” online. Despite the removal of the post 20 minutes later, Jones was sentenced to 4 months in jail under the Communications Act.
Some have voiced fears that the sentencing for riot-related offences has been disproportionate, including penal and law reform campaigners and Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Tom Brake.
There have been signs of disparity in sentencing between courts in different areas of the country. Judges in Manchester have handed down particularly stern punishments to rioters, including a 16 month sentence for 48 year old Thomas Downey for taking doughnuts from a looted Krispy Kreme in Manchester city centre. In comparison, 23 year old Mebeka Bell was given 6 months for looting expensive electronic equipment from a Curry’s store in the capital.
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