A 27-year-old man has been sentenced to nine years in prison for his role in an arson attack on a hotel housing more than 200 asylum seekers during widespread riots across the United Kingdom last month. The sentence, handed down at Sheffield Crown Court, is the longest to date related to the August unrest.
Thomas Birley, from Swinton, pleaded guilty to arson with intent to endanger life, violent disorder, and possession of an offensive weapon. Judge Jeremy Richardson KC described the case as “one of the worst of many” he had dealt with.
The incident occurred on August 4 at the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers, South Yorkshire. CCTV footage showed Birley, wearing a black puffer jacket and red face covering, participating in the violence outside the hotel. Prosecutor Alisha Kaye told the court that Birley was part of a group that smashed ground floor windows and was seen adding chipboard to a fire started in an industrial-sized waste bin pushed against a fire door.
During the attack, 22 hotel staff members barricaded themselves in a panic room, while over 200 asylum seekers were trapped inside the building, despite automated fire alarms instructing them to evacuate. Judge Richardson noted that at least 50 people’s lives were endangered, with many fearing they would “burn to death.”
The judge emphasized that the incident was “nothing to do with legitimate public protest” but rather “mob rule” fueled by racism. He added that Birley was “encouraged by malicious and ignorant posts on social media.”
In addition to the prison term, Birley will serve five years on license following his release. The court heard that a pre-sentence report indicated Birley held views that “raised alarm” with the probation officer, hinting at a “white supremacist mindset.”
This case is part of a larger series of prosecutions stemming from the August riots. Approximately 250 people have been jailed to date in connection with the unrest that erupted in multiple towns and cities across the UK.
In related cases, at Liverpool Crown Court, Connah Ashley Piggott, 25, from Chester, received a two-year and four-month sentence for violent disorder after throwing bricks at police officers in Southport on July 30.
At Snaresbrook Crown Court, suspended Labour councillor Ricky Jones denied charges of encouraging violent disorder during a counter-protest in Walthamstow, London.
In Bristol, Michael Tarling became the 33rd person charged by Avon and Somerset Police following clashes between protesters and police on August 3.
The widespread nature of these cases underscores the severity of the August unrest and the ongoing legal consequences for those involved in the violence.
