Two rioters - including 'Lush looter' - who forced three Romanians from a car handed harshest jail sentences to-date

16 August 2024, 17:31 | Updated: 16 August 2024, 19:22

Two men who formed part of a 'baying mob' that forced three Romanians from their car and left another BMW driver 'fearing for his life' have been handed the harshest jail sentences yet by a judge.

John Honey, 25, and David Wilkinson, 48, were sentenced on Friday after forming part of an "angry" mob that left one driver "fearing for his life".

The court had also previously heard how Honey had decided to loot a number of stores during the unrest, including a Lush store, an O2 shop and Shoezone - all while wearing a union jack t-shirt.

Appearing in Hull Crown Court, the judge handed Wilkinson a six year jail term - the harshest sentence to be handed down so far as part of the riots.

On the day of the disorder, Wilkinson was seen to spit, throw missiles and push wheelie bins at police protecting a hotel which was believed to house asylum seekers.

Hull was but one UK hotspot that saw violence erupt in the wake of the Southport attacks, which left three young girls dead on July 29.

A mixture of Telegram chats and widespread misinformation saw far-right rioters hijack a widely peaceful outpouring of support for the victims in the wake of the attacks.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council now says 1,127 people have been arrested in connection with the riots, while 648 have been charged following the violence.

It heard that more than 100 “angry” men descended on the Romanian driver and his two cousins during the unrest in Hull on August 3.

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The judge heard how Wilkinson had tried to drag the three men from their car, before punching one in the head and attempting to strike him with a metal bar.

Honey, who was also a member of the "mob", took to Hull city centre on the day of the riots to join the group.

He was jailed for 56 months on Friday by the judge.

Honey had previously pleaded guilty to all three counts of burglary and the racially aggravated criminal damage of a BMW and nine other cars.

H previously pleaded guilty to violent disorder, attempted arson and racially aggravated criminal damage after playing a “prominent role” in the violence and disorder that gripped Hull on August 3.

The 25-year-old "played a prominent role" in the 12 hours of violence and unrest that gripped the city, prosecutors said.e

A sentencing hearing earlier in the week was adjourned after a prison probation officer said Honey had asked him "if he wanted his autograph because he was famous", which the court heard could have undermined Honey's claim of being "genuinely remorseful".

But after hearing that Honey had developmental issues due to his "difficult start in life", Judge John Thackray KC said his alleged comment "does not have the significance it would otherwise have".

The judge told Honey: "I'm not going to hear any evidence about comments which you may or may not have made in the prison setting. I'm not going to give them any relevance. If your defence say that there is now genuine remorse, I'll accept that submission."

Rioting carries a maximum of 10 years in jail, double that of violent disorder, and prosecutors are considering wider riot charges.

It comes as numerous others appeared in court to face sentencing on Friday.

Four men who took part in a barrage of verbal and physical abuse towards police during riots in Hull have been jailed.

Steven Love, 41, who hurled an empty bin at a protective line of officers, was sentenced to 40 months in prison as a judge told him he was "lucky not to be charged with riot" after his central role in the disorder.

HGV driver and "family man" John Nunan, 36, was jailed for two years for "aggressively" confronting police, throwing missiles including a glass bottle, and helping push a wheelie bin at officers.

Travis Whitelock, 23, was jailed for two years after also playing a "prominent role" that included pushing a street litter bin onto a burning pile of rubbish and shoving a large wheelie bin at police.

Corey Holloway, 20, was detained for 18 months in a young offenders institution after throwing a traffic cone at police and behaving in a "violent and aggressive manner".