Latest news with #TimSpruce
BBC News
11 hours ago
- BBC News
Teenage arsonist at Rotherham asylum seeker hotel riot sentenced
Two 16-year-old boys have been sentenced after participating in "disgraceful" violent disorder outside a South Yorkshire hotel housing asylum defendants, who cannot be named due to their age, admitted violent disorder, with one admitting a further charge of arson reckless as to whether life is inside the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers, Rotherham, "thought they were going to die at the hands of the violent, racist mob" on 4 August, Sheffield Youth Court teenagers, who were both told by a judge they would have been jailed had they been adults, were given year-long referral orders. The first defendant was captured on CCTV adding wood to a fire which was burning against the played to the court showed him hurl a fire extinguisher at police officers and push a metal bin towards a police Ford, defending, told the judge: "He wants me to assure you he isn't racist - he happened upon the incident without knowing what it was."He got carried away, swept up in it, and was being encouraged by adults present." When district judge Tim Spruce questioned why he initially told police he wasn't there, the boy said: "I didn't admit to it because I was scared. Sorry."Judge Spruce said the boy's actions could have resulted in "catastrophic harm and loss of life"."One adult charged with similar offences to you received a term of nine years," he told the boy."Make no mistake, if you were an adult you would be going to jail right now."Further CCTV showed the second boy pushing a burning bin towards the was part of a crowd which "violently" rocked a police van "to the point it became completely unstable", the judge said. 'Won't happen again' He told the boy he would have faced three to five years in prison had he been older."You were fully engaged, chanting, making violent gestures," the judge boy's mother took him to a police station after seeing an appeal for suspects shared on social Walker, defending, said: "He was helping his mum with the shopping before he got involved – that shows what he ordinarily does behave like."He didn't appreciate [the racial element] at the time – that was not his motivation."The teenager told the judge: "I would like to say I am very sorry for what I've done."It's not the real me, what happened on that day, and it won't ever happen again." Judge Spruce said many of the 58 police officers who were injured had not returned to work due to the "anxiety and distress" caused by the said: "Within that hotel there were families of migrants who had already fled trauma in their own countries, once again placed in fear, along with staff at the hotel."Disorder of this nature was extremely frightening for anyone close by and for people watching on the television."He added: "It was shameful and disgraceful, leaving communities terrified and intimidated."He said he accepted neither boy had overt racist views or negative views towards asylum seekers and their actions had been "isolated behaviour in a highly unique set of events".Referral orders can include courses about hate crime, fire safety and victim awareness, the court heard. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Leadmill venue 'owes council £10,000' legal costs
Sheffield City Council has said it is owed £10,000 in unpaid legal costs by the tenants of music venue The Leadmill. The costs were awarded by a judge in November after The Leadmill Ltd lost its appeal against the council's decision to grant a shadow premises licence to the owner of the building, MVL Properties. A spokesperson for the local authority said it was "in correspondence with The Leadmill to ensure full and prompt payment", which is more than four weeks overdue. The BBC has approached The Leadmill for comment. In 2017, the much-loved venue was bought by Electric Group, which served an eviction notice on tenants The Leadmill Ltd in 2022. Electric Group has said it plans to run the venue itself and won a recent legal battle to take control of the building after a three-year dispute. In September 2023 Electric Group's parent company, MVL Properties 2017 Ltd, was granted a shadow licence by the council. Obtaining a shadow licence would mean they could operate the venue themselves in the event The Leadmill's licence came to an end. The Leadmill, whose sole director is Phil Mills, appealed against the council's decision, but this was rejected by district judge Tim Spruce. As a result, Judge Spruce awarded costs against The Leadmill, ordering them to pay £10,000 to Sheffield City Council and £18,000 to MVL Properties. A spokesperson for MVL Properties said the money owed to them had been paid. The council said the deadline for its payment was 18 March. Last month the tenants of The Leadmill applied for permission to appeal against a judge's decision to evict them. The Court of Appeal said a judge was yet to decide on the application. Since it opened in 1980 the venue has hosted performances from some of the biggest names in music, including Coldplay, Oasis, and Arctic Monkeys. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North Sheffield Leadmill landlord granted shadow licence Judge rules on future of famous city venue
