A security guard from Bolton was involved in ‘attacks on police’ during riots over the summer.
Ali Javed, aged 18, was at the disturbance in Bolton town centre on August 4. Multiple offenders have already been sentenced for their roles in the protest, which turned ugly through the day.
Javed, who works as a security guard, pleaded guilty to violent disorder after he “attacked” police in Victoria Square.
He appeared at Bolton Crown Court on September 11.
Prosecutor Phillip Hall said: “The group that the defendant was part of all met up at a nearby car park. They then move down towards the square in opposition to the other group.”
He showed two videos to the courtroom, one showing Javed, who is of Crescent Road, Great Lever, kicking out at a barrier where police were.
Referring to the other video, Mr Hall said: “In this, an officer removed Mr Javed’s face covering. An officer tries to remove another person’s face covering and he is involved in trying to pull the man away.”
Defending, Andrew Costello said: “He has no previous convictions and works full time as a security guard.
“He will lose his employment. Those are not crocodile tears.”
Judge Clarke replied: “He is not the first defendant to attend and then cry and say he should not have been there.
“It was a deliberate choice he made to attend the earlier gathering and then attend this and participate.”
He decided not to sentence to allow a pre-sentence report to be conducted.
Judge Nicholas Clarke KC said: “This was a very serious incident, you deliberately involved yourself at the original meeting point and then moved towards the other group, though you could not get through because of the work of the police.
“It came as part of significant disruption in the centre of Bolton and you may face a custodial sentence.
“There was very serious disruption in Bolton town centre on August 4. A lot of people working in the town centre faced disruption to their days.
“You were also involved in direct attacks on the police in confrontation with them when they were seeking to preserve public order.”
Javed will be sentenced on October 2 this year.
Source – Bolton News