Police were bombarded with fireworks and bricks by a group of teenagers during branded "Wild West thuggery".
Six men have been sentenced for their involvement in the chaos, which led to at least one officer needing treatment in A&E. A court heard police were initially called to reports of a man's home being targeted but Calvin Smith, 26, , 20, Kyle Saddington, 24, Brett Hamilton, 22, Morgan Thewlis, 24, and 25-year-old James Anderson subjected them to abuse near the address.
Brett Hamilton had previously been convicted of after a trial. Lewis Hamilton, Anderson, Saddington, and Smith had admitted to violent disorder. Thewlis had confessed to arson at an earlier hearing. Bricks were thrown and fireworks were left off on the residential street in Halton Moor, , the court heard today.
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One police officer was "scared for her life" amid . The injured officer recounted her harrowing experience through a victim impact statement, telling Leeds Crown Court: "As soon as I arrived I was subjected to verbal abuse by children. I was doing my job just trying to protect a family that had just moved in. I had fireworks thrown at me and was pushed over by a resident. I was put in serious danger."
She detailed the toll of the abuse, adding: "We're told in the job this shouldn't affect us - it is what we should accept - but being racially abused and called a s*** for five hours would take its toll on anyone...I was scared for my life." After being struck by what she believed to be a house brick, the officer needed A&E treatment and physiotherapy.
A staggering 189 officers were deployed to a troubled area every 24 hours over four days, with resources dispatched on 126 separate occasions, the court heard. Her Honour Judge Rayfield likened the incident's footage to a "watching a scene from the Wild West" scenario and didn't mince words, deeming it outright "thuggery", reports . She chastised the defendants stating: "You behaved like a pack of animals."
But the defendants dodged immediate prison terms. Lewis Hamilton, from Halton Moor, was handed a 12-month sentence suspended for 18 months and ordered to undertake 150 hours of unpaid work. Anderson, also from Halton Moor, was made the subject of a one-year-and-five-month sentence suspended for 18 months. He must carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £1,000 in compensation to the police officer hit by items.
The judge made Saddington, from Halton Moor, the subject of a one-year-and-five-months suspended term for 18 months and a six-month curfew between the hours of 10pm and 6am. Smith, of Osmondthorpe, was handed a one-year-and-nine-month sentence suspended for 18 months.
Thewlis, who is from Halton Moor, was made the subject of a 10-month sentence suspended for 18 months and ordered to undertake 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £600. Brett Hamilton, from Osmondthorpe, Leeds, was handed an extra six months on the sentence he is already serving.
Prosecutor Benjamin Bell stated: "On 7th November 2020, police were called to the Halton Moor area as a man reported being subjected to verbal abuse and damage to property and a motorcar parked outside his address."
The court heard that officers who arrived at the scene were met with verbal and physical abuse from members of the group. Mr Bell added: "They were subjected to threats of violence, and there seems missiles of bricks, fireworks and street furniture were thrown.
"They were abused for several hours on the day and in the evening, when large-scale violence broke out. As police attempted to leave the area, 54 missiles were thrown towards the officers and their vehicles. A further 16 were picked up by the group as they chased officers and vehicles from the area. The man and his young family were removed from the property in fear for their safety after the address was targeted by further members of the group. The property was burgled and items including a TV were taken."
The following day, the court heard, officers returned to the area and were met with "road blocks made by wooden planks with nails in them strewn across the road." A woman's Ford Focus car was set alight during the disorder on the second day. Mr Bell said there was no evidence to suggest any reason for the group targeting the man or the woman. The court heard the man had recently moved into the area.
Footage of the disorder was played to the court. Mr Bell said: "Kyle Saddington was seen on the footage picking something up from the ground and throwing it at them [the officers]. A police officer reported being hit by an item. She thought it was a brick. Calvin Smith was seen on a bike with Kyle Saddington at 7.45pm throwing missiles at the police before riding off."
The court heard Thewlis was seen on footage on November 8 approaching the Ford Focus, which was already alight, and putting a box of fireworks inside it. The man whose home was attacked shared his ongoing fear, stating: "Every time I need to go to the shop I'm terrified when I open the door. I feel agoraphobia has begun to set in.
"Every morning I wake up and feel frustrated. I feel frightened of reaching out to my neighbours and those in the community in case they are just like the people who attacked me and my family in November 2020."
Graham Robert Blower, representing Brett Hamilton, highlighted that his client was a mere 18 years old at the time of the offence and is now aged 22. He pointed out that Hamilton is currently serving a 54-month sentence for robbery and isn't set to be released until June 2026.
Blower stated: "He is working towards that and is trying to get education. He is going to be moved away from Leeds and will take advantage of the courses because he has prospect of work outside with a family member in the building trade. He has been doing various courses in construction and IT."
For Lewis Hamilton, Victoria Smith-Swain emphasised that her client was only 17 during the incident and had a prior conviction for driving offences just four months before, which breached a six-month conditional discharge. She mentioned: "He's reflected on his behaviour and has expressed remorse and insight into the harm caused. He was young and immature and allowed himself to be influenced by others and was motivated by a sense of bravado."
The court was informed that he has recently become a father to a baby girl and has made "positive changes" in his life, including working as a plasterer and labourer.
Representing Smith, Ms Smith-Swain highlighted that his previous convictions were for dissimilar matters 15 months prior to the disorder in August 2019, which put him in breach of a suspended sentence order. She stated: "He has reflected on his behaviour and the group as a whole and has expressed insight into the harm and recognises how fortuitous it was no one was seriously hurt. He expresses remorse and regret and wishes to apologise for his behaviour, especially to the police who were simply engaging in their roles to protect the public."
She added that immaturity played a significant role in his offending and that he has since moved away from the area and cut ties with everyone involved except his two brothers. It was mentioned that Smith is now a step-father and feels "ashamed of setting a terrible example to her and putting her happiness at risk because of his offending."
Andrew Blair Semple, mitigating for Anderson, pointed out that he made "no efforts" to conceal his identity during the disorder. He explained: "At the time he was living a feckless existence. He was in his early 20s living with his mum and had no job and was hanging around the estate. He was drinking and taking cannabis from time to time. This disgraceful behaviour has offered a change in behaviour. The Probation Service says they are concerned that custody will mark a regression. The Probation Service now see him as a good bet for rehabilitation."
Michael Walsh's advocate for Saddington told the court that his client, who was 20 years old at the time of the disorder, has shown growth over the past four years. "He has matured in the last four years. He has worked but unfortunately suffered an accident on a dry ski slope which he is having ongoing medication intervention for and he hopes in the next three or four months he will be back and ready to carry out work. There is work waiting for him."
Meanwhile, for Thewlis, Stephen Grattage shared that his client has showcased genuine remorse, illustrated by a letter written to the court. The court also learned of a supportive letter from Thewlis' mother and evidence of his stable job situation. Mr Grattage added: "The letter from his mum shows he is more mature and responsible young man."
Three other men - Taylor Bulloch, 20, of Shelley Crescent, Oulton, Andrew Allison, 18, of Firbank Grove, Halton Moor, and William Nijie, 18, of Potternewton Crescent, Leeds, will face sentencing at a later date.
