Southport stabbing sees dad-of-three jailed after violent disorder left officer 'fearing for his life'

22 August 2024, 16:15

A father-of-three who left a police officer worried for his life by smashing a van window during disorder has been sent to prison for three years.

Liverpool Crown Court sentenced 38-year-old Luke Moran after he lost his job with a roofing firm, when his image was published after violence took place in Southport, the day after a knife attack led to three girls being killed.

Prosecutor Rebecca Smith said Moran, from Leybourne Avenue, Birkdale, was spotted on footage with a huge piece of concrete in his hands, which he threw at the driver's side of the window, whilst an office was still inside the police vehicle.

Judge Neil Flewitt KC told the court: "This is as bad a case as I have seen so far."

He said the serious disorder, encompassing vandalism, intimidation and violence, took place in Merseyside and spread nationwide after the fatal stabbing in Southport on July 29, in which three girls died.

The judge said that on July 30 a "mob" formed in Southport, which was initially focused on the local mosque, and there were chants of "Allah, Allah, who the f*** is Allah" and "this is our f****** country".

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The court saw bodyworn footage from P James Hayes in which Moran had hold of a chunk of masonry, which he hit the vehicle with three times.

Ms Smith said: "The officer described how he feared for his life."

In the footage, the constable could be heard telling colleagues over his radio: "I'm going to have to bail, my window's about to go through."

Moran appeared in the dock with three other defendants, who fist bumped and said "good luck" to each other before the sentencing began.

Family members of all four defendants were tearful as the sentences were delivered.

Moran's friend Nicholas Sinclair, 38, a manager at a scaffolding firm, appeared alongside him in the dock on Wednesday and was jailed for two years and four months.

The court heard that Sinclair, of Bury Road, Birkdale, was seen in footage from the disorder shouting towards police and throwing bricks.

Simon Christie, defending both men, said they had been "swept up in an incident they neither understood or took the time to consider".

Judge Flewitt said: "Everybody so far has said they were swept up in the violence, nobody seems to be taking responsibility."

He went on to say: "It was neither thoughtless nor mindless, it was deliberate."

Last week both men had pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Liverpool Magistrates' Court.

In addition, 41-year-old Daniel Carrigan from Preston Grove in Liverpool was sentenced and jailed for two years and eight months for violent disorder and criminal damage.

Meanwhile, 53-year-old Thomas Whitehead from Pool Street Southport was sentenced to one year and eight months for violent disorder.