Mothers jailed for violent role in far‑right riots across England
Donna Conniff, a 40-year-old mother of six children, was sentenced to two years in prison for throwing a brick at police officers and encouraging a young boy to attack officers during far-right riots in England. A similar fate befell another mother, 38-year-old Lisa Bishop.
As reported by "The Guardian", Donna Conniff explained that she happened to be at the site of the riots by accident and expressed remorse. However, Judge Francis Laird KC deemed her behaviour disgraceful and judged her as a "regular participant" in these events, thus handing down a prison sentence.
Let's recall that the 40-year-old threw a brick at a police van and another at the officers when the crowd went into a frenzy in Hartlepool on 31 July. The mother, later identified on surveillance, also handed a brick to a child and encouraged him to do the same.
Lisa Bishop, on the other hand, who has five children, was sentenced to 26 months in prison after attacking a hotel housing asylum seekers in Bristol on 3 August.
In the course of disorder, properties were targeted, windows were broken, shops and vehicles were damaged. Your behaviour and the behaviour of others around you was truly disgraceful. You were a persistent participant and the disorder took place in a busy residential area. Children were present - said the judge, justifying his verdict.
The riots in Middlesbrough also brought a mother and daughter, 52-year-old Amanda Walton and 24-year-old Megan Davison, to the courtroom. The two women, who did not plead guilty, are accused of various acts of violence, including attacking a car.
Her partner, Jake Wray, was charged with disrupting public order. Also, Nevey Smith, who brought her one-year-old child to the demonstrations, admitted to public disturbance charges.
Rising tensions in the United Kingdom
The demonstrations that swept across England following the tragic death of three girls in Southport were characterised by anti-immigrant and Islamophobic slogans.
The judge emphasised that participants in such riots, who express their extremist views and bring about fear and disorder, must expect severe consequences, including prison sentences.
After several weeks of riots, British police presented the tally. They arrested over 1,200 people, and 474 of them were charged.
