Rioter with serious learning difficulties, 25, faces a decade in jail for sending texts urging thugs... (original) (raw)

A rioter with serious learning difficulties faces a decade in jail for sending texts urging thugs to 'burn down' a Staffordshire town and make it the 'maddest night in local history'.

Mitchell Cleaver, of Morleys Hill, Burton upon Trent, is the first person in the West Midlands to admit riot after he pleaded guilty on Tuesday at Stafford Crown Court.

The heavily-built 25-year-old, who appeared via a video-link to HMP Dovegate wearing a plain white vest, will be sentenced on November 11.

His plea was entered four days after a 32-year-old man, who encouraged widespread disorder when a march turned violent in Sunderland, admitted a charge of riot.

Kieran Usher, from Bramwell Road, Hendon, Sunderland, was masked when he gestured towards officers and the crowds in the city centre on August 2 in order to 'encourage violence', a previous court hearing was told.

Mitchell Cleaver, of Morleys Hill, Burton upon Trent, became the first person in the West Midlands to admit riot when he pleaded guilty on Tuesday at Stafford Crown Court

The stairwell of the Holiday Inn Express in Tamworth was set alight, as 'Get out England' was spray painted on the side of the building

He appeared at Newcastle Crown Court to admit the charge of riot and was remanded in custody ahead of his sentencing on September 27.

Cleaver was among six men and two women, including a care worker who broadcast a violent protest on social media, who were remanded in custody in Stafford, after appearing in connection with disorder in Tamworth, Staffordshire.

Rioting broke out on the night of August 4 after a crowd gathered at the town's Holiday Inn Express, which was housing asylum seekers, leaving one police officer with a suspected broken arm.

Judge John Edwards ordered a psychological assessment to be carried out on Cleaver, who has serious learning difficulties and was caught on police drone footage, before sentencing is passed.

Staffordshire Police said Cleaver sent various messages to people before the violent disorder, asking them to 'burn the place down' and make it the 'maddest night in Tamworth history'.

Various clips from the scene found on Cleaver's phone showed what happened, including the moment the Holiday Inn Express window was smashed and a fire was started inside.

During the disorder, officers were pelted with missiles and fireworks, with one officer being 'doused in petrol' while the hotel was on fire.

Usher, wearing a Union Jack flag on his back, is seen on August 2 signalling to police and was later seen on CCTV throwing missiles at officers

Usher now faces a maximum punishment of 10 years imprisonment after admitting a charge of riot. Pictured: Protesters gathering in Sunderland on 2 August

Cleaver was originally charged with violent disorder, which was later upgraded to riot, the most serious available offence under the Public Order Act 1986.

Staffordshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Ellison said: 'Our team of detectives and police staff have been working incredibly hard over the last month to review the vast amounts of footage from the scene in Tamworth and to act robustly against those identified.

'I can assure local communities that our work is far from over and we're continuing to take action against those who are found to be responsible for what happened.'

Following Cleaver's plea, Emily Lenham of the Crown Prosecution Service said: 'Mitchell Cleaver had previously faced a charge of violent disorder but, following a full review of his case, this was upgraded to the more serious charge of riot.

'It is clear from the evidence in this case that Cleaver played a significant role in the violence which unfolded at the Holiday Inn hotel in Tamworth last month.

'During the disorder, Cleaver threw objects and discharged a fire extinguisher at police officers who were safeguarding the hotel and those inside.

'The substantial level of co-ordinated unlawful violence displayed by Cleaver and others during the incident, the severity of which caused members of the public and emergency services to fear for their safety, was such that only a charge of riot was appropriate.'

Seven other defendants, including two women, also appeared before a Crown Court judge in Stafford.

Flames erupted beside Sunderland police station during the riots breaking out on August 2

Police were seen responding in Sunderland amid disorder after the Southport stabbings

Care worker Cameron Bell, who has no previous convictions, accepted her guilt on a charge of violent disorder 'on the understanding that she was present and live-streamed the matter to her TikTok account'.

Bell, 24, from Tamworth, admitted a single count of violent disorder on Tuesday and was remanded in custody for sentencing in the week commencing October 28 after being told a jail sentence was inevitable.

She appeared in the dock alongside her partner Kyle Barber, also from Tamworth, whose case was adjourned until October 8.

Barber, 24, was not asked to enter a plea to a charge of violent disorder and was remanded in custody.

Police said Bell filmed herself and other members of a group that were carrying planks of wood and metal.

She repeatedly made racist remarks and told members of the group that they should visit other hotels in the area as part of the disorder.

Meanwhile, Martin McCluskey, 60, of Bolehall, Tamworth, admitted violent disorder and pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting an emergency worker.

The Staffordshire force said McCluskey was seen on footage repeatedly challenging police who were on the front line on August, telling an officer he would 'bite his face off' before launching rocks at him.

He has been remanded in custody ahead of his sentencing at the same court on October 30.