Rocks, bottles, a concrete slab, an egg and fireworks were hurled at police officers as violent scenes unfolded outside the Suites Hotel, a jury have heard.
Five men and three women went on trial at Liverpool Crown Court today, Tuesday, accused of violent disorder after the disturbance broke out during a protest outside the site in Kirkby on February 10 last year. It came after a video which allegedly showed an asylum seeker, who was staying at the hotel, "asking a 15-year-old for her phone number and a kiss" circulated on social media.
Martyn Walsh told a jury of six men and six women during the prosecution's opening this morning, Tuesday, that Merseyside Police received reports "which stated that members of the English Defence League were going to attend" the hotel on Ribblers Lane, which was "housing refugees and immigrants", on the Friday evening. The force also received reports that "far left groups were also planning on attending".
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Mr Walsh said: "In light of this information, Merseyside Police commenced an operation to attend and prevent any potential disorder. During the course of the evening, a police drone was deployed at the scene, along with police officers, into what became a public order situation.
"Crowds gathered during the course of the evening, and the police attempted to put in place cordons so that members of the public could not encroach into the Suites Hotel grounds. The crowd built up both in numbers and in the level of violence.
"The police were faced with hostility and violence while the crowd forced its way through a cordon. The police then fell back into a stronger, more enforced cordon.
"Because of the escalating crowds and level of violence, they put on their protective gear. At this point in the evening, officers were bombarded with various missiles, for example rocks and bottles.
"There was an officer injured by a concrete slab. The crown would submit that fireworks were being directed towards the police."
Jurors heard that "further assistance was requested" by officers at the scene, who "feared for their own safety and members of the public". Mr Walsh described how a Matrix van was "set on fire" and "burnt out" after police equipment including riot shields, helmets and metal bars was taken from inside.
This was said to have resulted in £83,686 of damage. Three officers were said to have been injured in total, with two sustaining "minor" injuries and one inspector requiring hospital treatment after being "hit on the head with what he described as part of a paving slab" and suffering a concussion and "whiplash-type injuries".
Mr Walsh added: "The case against each of the defendants is the same. The crown say they were all present on the evening.
"None of the defendants takes issue with that. They all admit being present at the scene.
"A violent disorder was taking place. Again, that is not in dispute.
"The crown's case is that they acted as part of this large crowd using or threatening violence. Their roles and actions are different – whether they stood on top of the police carrier before it was burned out or lit and threw fireworks at officers or whether they stood together and moved as one with those who broke the cordon, trying to effectively enflame the situation as the night went on. The crown say each is guilty of violent disorder, and you can be sure on the evidence presented to you of their guilt."
Mr Walsh told the court that the "majority of the evidence in the case" came from footage obtained by a police drone, body worn cameras of PCs who attended the scene and "evidence gathering officers" who were "tasked with recording events". Seven of the defendants were identified via these videos, with only one, Thomas Mills, being arrested on the night in question.
One of the men in the dock, Brian McPadden, was said to have been seen on camera "with his arms out, shouting at officers". While pointing towards the hotel, the 61-year-old, of Britonside Avenue in Kirkby, was heard to say: "We protect our own.
"Yous are not from Kirkby, we are. These are t***s.
"These are t***s, the lot of them. Where are they now?
"They're hiding behind the curtains. Look at them all. cheeky b******s."
McPadden then allegedly went on to say: "How come you've got the f***ing audacity to support them? They'd better not leave that place in the next few days, because they'll be dead.
"I've got five grandkids and I don't want that. Sorry."
He also reportedly shouted: "Who do you think you f***ing are? You cheeky b******s.
"We're the innocent ones, not them. We're the innocent ones, they're not.
"You don't know Kirkby. We stick up for ourselves.
"Cheeky b******s up there. They're sitting on the roof watching this, w*****s."
Under interview, McPadden told detective that he had been "there for a peaceful protest". He did however "admit shouting things at the police as he was frustrated with them".
Meanwhile Mills, of Park Brow Drive in Kirkby, was seen hitting the police van which would later be torched with a flag. The 47-year-old was then alleged to have clambered on top of the vehicle and held the banner, which read "let's shout get them out", aloft.
Mr Walsh said: "He played an important role into violence, encouraging others to behave violently. He goes on to put himself right up against the police cordon."
Mills later gave a prepared statement to the police under interview, stating that he was "was standing peacefully when arrested". He then answered no further questions.
Jurors also heard that 42-year-old Paul Lafferty, of Quarry Green in Kirkby, was seen "pointing towards the police" and shouting: "You f***ing bullies. You are provoking violence."
Mr Walsh said the footage captured 21-year-old Jonjo O'Donoghue, of Stanley Street in Liverpool city centre, "very clearly lighting fireworks and throwing those fireworks at police officers". But he claims he "effectively went to remove his friend from the situation".
Daniel Fulham, of Old Rough Lane, Kirkby, was described as "one of a group of people who made their way past the first line of officers at the cordon by the police carrier". Mr Walsh continued: "He has his dog with him, a Jack Russell dog.
"Other people then push at the police officers at the second cordon, chanting 'get them out'. Mr Fulham picks his dog up and waves it or thrusts it towards police officers while shouting 'get them out, we're allowed through, this is our road."
Fulham was said to have pushed at the riot shields of the officers before being pushed back, at which the 37-year-old shouted "f*** you". He was also "seen to be aggressive and shout f*** you while, behind him, the crowd are shouting 'get them out'."
Cheryl Nicholls, also from Kirkby, was seen "shouting and gesturing towards the police", with the 44-year-old heard to say: "Every Friday we're going to be here. Every single Friday we're going to be here, so make sure yous are.
"You've got 500 dirty b****** nonces in there. I hope your kids are proud of you, tell them what you've done tonight.
"You, you fat k***head, You're as bad as them..
"They're not allowed in our shops. No one is allowed in our shops, you'd better tell them."
Nicholls was also said to have been "stood with a large group confronting the police" who then "charged at the police, throwing items and kicking out". Under interview, she "said she went for a peaceful protest as she had concerns about a social media video she'd seen".
Meanwhile, 42-year-old Nicola Elliott – of Ellison Drive in St Helens – was "seen to be shouting 'get them out' and 'are you happy they're raping our children?'". She was described as being "part and parcel of the crowd", and allegedly added: "You're not doing anything about it.
"They're dirty nonces. Raping our children.
"Dirty perverts in there. We'll come here every day, every day until yous get rid of them.
"We're protecting our children. We're not racist, we just want to protect our daughters.
"You're as bad as them, f***ing nonces."
When interviewed, Elliott said she "wasn't racist" and "was shouting not to let them out of the hotel because they would be dead".
Jennifer Knox, aged 41 and of Chesterfield Drive in Kirkby, was seen "on the left of" Mills as he held the banner aloft and was "stood at the front of the group confronting the police officers, shouting at the police officers". Mr Walsh said: "Her conduct has added to the threat of violence faced by the police."
He also added: "There were other people who were either arrested or identified later who have already appeared. They have pleaded guilty in respect of their part in the violent disorder that took place."
Detective Constable Dave Williams, the officer in charge of the case, was then called to give evidence from the witness box. He told the jury the Suites Hotel was "being used for temporary accommodation for asylum seekers" at the time, and that the police had been notified of the protest on February 9 2023.
Officers were said to have been deployed to the scene the following evening "to make sure there was no disorder or trouble". But, at around 7pm, "things started to take a turn for the worst".
When asked when the "situation was under control" once more, DC Williams told the court the last of 15 arrests was made at 11.45pm and "police units were being stood down round about midnight". He stated that around 40 members of a "left wing group" had attended, with "fewer from the other group".
However, the detective said that at 6.55pm, it was "reported that a large group of people had attended on foot", adding: "Around about that time, one of the police officers on their body worn camera makes mention of items thrown at them. I think it was an egg.
"At that time, it seemed that the tensions changed somewhat. Then, a person who isn't before the courts today walked through the loose link cordon along Ribblers Lane."
DC Williams said that, in addition to the police carrier that was "totally destroyed by fire", "a number of other vehicles had windows smashed and damage caused to the bodywork". He was asked by Mr Walsh whether "anything had happened in the local community" in the days prior, and replied: "A 15-year-old school child, a female school child, was on her way home from school.
"She spoke with a person who was an asylum seeker from the hotel. There was an allegation made to the police that this person had acted inappropriately.
"He asked for her phone number and allegedly asked for a kiss. This was recorded on the child's mobile phone.
"That incident was brought to the attention of the police. It was investigated, and unfortunately a decision was made via the CPS that no crime had been committed at that point."
Disruption was heard from the dock at this point in proceedings, with Mills seen to leave into a side room at the rear. Trial judge Denis Watson KC intervened and said: "Quiet in the dock please – if there isn't quiet, that person will be removed."
The defendant was asked to sit down, but Knox responded: "He can't. He has a medical condition."
Judge Watson asked the jury to leave the courtroom briefly, before telling them the hearing was "able to resume". The court returned to DC Williams' evidence, with the court hearing that a video of the incident had been posted on social media – leading to "ill feeling in the locality".
All eight defendants deny violent disorder. The trial continues, and is expected to last up to three weeks.
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