Three men from Yorkshire have appeared in court following a series of violent incidents that took place across South Yorkshire. The unrest, which unfolded last Sunday (August 4), saw a far-right mob target a Rotherham hotel housing asylum seekers while similar disturbances erupted in Sheffield. Elsewhere in the region, riots escalated into looting, with stores including Lush, a phone shop, and Greggs in Hull being ransacked. Demonstrations also broke out in Leeds.
Riots were planned for Wednesday evening across 18 locations in England. However, counterprotesters successfully disrupted the efforts of far-right groups to organize. In the aftermath, three individuals have been convicted for the disturbances in South Yorkshire.
Kenzie Roughley, 18, from Barnsley Road, South Elmsall, Pontefract, pleaded guilty to violent disorder. He has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday, August 9.
Joshua Simpson, 26, who has no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker. He remains in custody and will appear at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court on August 27.
A 16-year-old boy, whose identity is protected for legal reasons, also pleaded guilty to violent disorder. He is expected to appear before Sheffield Magistrates’ Court on October 2, 2024.
These convictions come as the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced that 149 people have been charged following the eight days of disorder that swept across
Britain. In an update posted on X at 11:40 a.m. on Thursday (August 8), the CPS confirmed that its teams are “working around the clock” to charge individuals swiftly and “ensure justice is served.”
The tweet stated: “Our teams continue to work around the clock, along with the police, to charge people as quickly as possible and ensure justice is served following recent public disorder. As of today, we have charged 149 people.”
Court proceedings have been held for three individuals from Yorkshire in connection with the recent incidents of tumult in various areas of South Yorkshire.
