A Sheffield man has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison after his involvement in a violent clash with riot police.
Charlie Eames, aged 30, was part of a mob that targeted the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers, Rotherham, on August 4, an establishment housing over 200 asylum seekers.
Eames claimed he was too intoxicated to recall throwing an object at the police.
Evidence and Court Proceedings
During the court proceedings at Sheffield Crown Court, body-worn camera footage was presented, showing Eames at the forefront of the chaotic scene.
He was shirtless, sporting a padded gillet, and had a bottle of alcohol tucked into his waistband.
When questioned, Eames clarified that the bottle was Stones Ginger Wine, not beer as initially suggested.
The footage captured him throwing an unidentified object at the riot shields and inciting another individual to throw a piece of wood at the officers.
Rebecca Tanner, Eames’s defense attorney, argued that her client, who is an alcoholic, had consumed a large quantity of alcohol before the incident, leading to his impaired recollection of events.
Eames had seen the protest on TikTok and decided to join, mistakenly believing it would be peaceful.
Tanner noted that Eames admitted to being highly intoxicated and becoming a participant when the situation escalated.
Wider Impact and Sentences
The violent incident involved around 400 people and resulted in damage to the hotel, including an attempt to set it on fire.
Over 80 individuals have been charged, with more than 30 already imprisoned.
The mob injured 64 police officers, three police horses, and a police dog.
In addition to Eames, two other men were sentenced on the same day.
Morgan Hardy, 29, from Melton High Street, Rotherham, received a three-year sentence for his role in the disorder.
Hardy was seen throwing various objects at officers and making inflammatory statements about the asylum seekers.
His defense described him as a hardworking family man who acted out of curiosity but admitted his actions were deplorable.
Cameron Callear, a 30-year-old father of five from Orchard Way, Thurnscoe, was also sentenced to two years and ten months.
Callear was captured on video kicking police riot shields and throwing the leg of a chair at the police.
All three men had previously pleaded guilty to charges of violent disorder.
