Rioters could face terror charges, warns top Britain's prosecutor amid 'deeply disturbing' wave of national disorder
7 August 2024, 08:27
Britain's top prosecutor says he will consider terror offences for those who plan ‘serious disruption’ with the purpose of ‘advancing ideology’ amid a wave of riots across the UK.
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Tensions remain high as the nation prepares for potential further unrest. Over 6,000 specialist riot control officers have been placed on alert, responding to intelligence suggesting far-Right organizations intended to target dozens of immigration facilities across the country.
Speaking to reporters the Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson said: “There are sentencing guidelines which indicate that many people who have been caught up in this disorder will face immediate imprisonment. There should be no doubt about that. They are going to prison.
“We are willing to look at terrorism offences. I’m aware of at least one instance where that is happening.
“Where you have organised groups planning activity for the purposes of advancing an ideology... planning really, really serious disruption – then yes, we will consider terrorism offences.”
Read more: Named and shamed: Mugshots of rioters revealed as over 100 charged after violent disorder sweeps UK
Mr Parkinson also expressed deep concern over the participation of children as young as 11 in the riots, warning that such involvement could have lifelong repercussions for these young individuals.
"One of the most striking features of the current outbreak of disorder is that many young people are involved. Children as young as 11. This is deeply disturbing," he said.
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The Crown Prosecution Service is also actively seeking to prosecute people for online offences, according to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
He said: "Absolutely we will. And if I can talk about two different types of offence. So there's some offences which can actually be committed online, for instance, inciting racial hatred. Actually, we authorised a charge today of one such case, subject to the Attorney General's consent.
"The other way that online activity can be used is for the purposes of incitement and planning. If you're engaged in that activity, then you can be prosecuted for the substantive offence that you have caused to what you've been doing using the internet."
He added: "Some people are abroad. That doesn't mean they're safe. We have liaison prosecutors spread around the globe who've got local links with the local judiciary and law enforcement, but also the police are also stationed abroad."
The Crown Prosecution Service has now named and shamed the 100 people charged with taking part in the disorder.
Over 400 people have been arrested following the widespread disorder that erupted in the wake of the murder of three young girls in Southport.
Clashes between police and rioters have so far occurred in London, Manchester, Hartlepool, Aldershot, Liverpool, Blackpool, Hull, Stoke-on-Trent, Leeds, Nottingham, Bristol, Sunderland and Belfast.
