Criminal who threw stones at police in riot jailed

A heavily-convicted criminal who threw rocks at police and tried to set a bin on fire during anti-immigration riots has been jailed for more than two years.

Lucas Taylor was part of a 400-strong mob that confronted police after peaceful protests turned violent in Middlesbrough on 4 August 2024, Teesside Crown Court heard.

The disorder was one of a number of such violent outbreaks in towns and cities across England in the wake of the murder of three girls in Southport.

Taylor, 44, had initially denied a violent disorder charge but changed his plea to guilty on the opening day of his trial. He was jailed for 25 months.

About 1,000 people were estimated to have joined a protest march in the town, with the procession down Linthorpe Road initially peaceful, prosecutor Rachel Masters said.

But violence broke out when an item was thrown at the march from the direction of Claremont Road, a residential street which was quickly blocked off by police, the court heard.

About 400 people, including Taylor, challenged a line of officers at the junction of Linthorpe Road and Ayresome Street at about 16:00 BST with the intention of drawing the police into violence, Ms Masters said.

Taylor, of Worcester Street in Middlesbrough, was caught on camera and seen by police throwing rocks towards officers and attempting to set a wheelie bin on fire, the court heard.

He was arrested several days after the riot after attacking a security guard at Aldi, the court heard.

The court heard Taylor had 141 convictions for 320 offences on his criminal record, including for theft, pubic disorder, drugs and assaults.

In mitigation, Richard Bennett said Taylor was not an instigator of the violence but had been "extremely foolish" and "got caught up in the heat of the moment".

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