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Hannah Al-Othman – The Guardian Sept 6, 2024

A Rotherham man has been handed the longest prison sentence so far over the rioting in early August as he was jailed for nine years for his role in violence outside a hotel housing hundreds of asylum seekers.

A judge told Thomas Birley, 27, that his case was “unquestionably” one of the most serious of the dozens he had dealt with in the last month in relation to rioting outside the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers on 4 August.

Sheffield crown court heard that Birley, a painter and decorator from Swinton, in Rotherham, was involved in many of the worst incidents on that Sunday afternoon.

Birley added wood to a fire in a large industrial bin that had been pushed up against an exit of the hotel, and helped to pile another bin on top of the one that was already alight.

Wearing a mask over his face, Birley was also filmed throwing missiles at police, squaring up to officers while brandishing a police baton, and throwing a large bin that collided with a line of police holding riot shields.

He is the first person to be sentenced for arson with intent to endanger life after the 12 hours of violence in Manvers that left 64 police officers, three horses and a dog injured.

The judge, Jeremy Richardson KC, heard how 22 staff in the hotel barricaded themselves into a panic room using freezers and “thought they were going to burn to death”.

There were more than 200 asylum seekers in the building at the time, and the judge heard that automated fire alarms had told them to leave, but they were trapped inside the building.

Richardson said he needed to pass an extended sentence, which included an extended five-year licence period, due to Birley’s continuing dangerousness.

The security minister, Dan Jarvis, who represents Barnsley North in South Yorkshire in parliament, said the nine-year sentence sent a strong message.

Continues …

Comment – Sept 6, 2024

In the eyes of many the severity of the sentence handed out to Thomas Birley will only confirm that Britain now has a two-tier justice system.

Contrast Birley’s sentence to that imposed on Ajmal Saqikel, who was convicted of dealing drugs and being in possession of dangerous weapons, one of which was a 3-foot bladed machete that could have easily severed a hand or limb.

Saqikel was caught for these offences not once but twice. Yet he was sentenced to thirty eight weeks in jail and he will probably only serve half that time behind bars.

Or consider the case of Munawar Hussain who was convicted of stabbing three people but wasn’t even sent to jail. Instead, he was given a hospital order, which means that he will spend the rest of his life in hospital.

So why was there such a discrepancy in the severity of sentencing of Birley, Hussain and Saqikel? Could it be that the powers that be, the ruling establishment saw a threat in the recent UK riots?

Most of the participants in the unrest were white working-class. Were the severe sentences handed out intended to send a message to them – stay inline or you will get the same?

Contrary to what was intended however, it’s likely that the severe sentences handed out will have the opposite effect. Firstly, they will be seen as confirming that Britain does indeed have a two-tier justice system where native Britons are relegated to second-class citizenship; while in contrast newcomers will be seen as enjoying preferential treatment.

Far from curbing growing anger this will only add to a deepening sense of resentment among white working class Britons. Ed.