Summary

  • More people are due in court after the violent disorder which broke out across parts of the country after the fatal stabbing of three girls in Southport in July

  • A 12-year-old boy who admitted to participating in two separate incidents of disorder in Manchester is among those being sentenced

  • A hearing is also taking place for a 15-year-old boy from Sunderland, who was the first person in England to be charged with riot after the disorder

  • Meanwhile, Lucy Connolly, the wife of a Tory councillor, will appear in court for a plea hearing after being charged with publishing written material to stir up racial hatred

Live Reporting

Edited by Aoife Walsh

  1. Who’s due to be sentenced?

    Police images of Leanne Hodgson, 43, Josh Kellett, 29, and Andrew Smith, 41 - who are being sentenced todayNorthumbria Police

    Leanne Hodgson, Josh Kellett, and Andrew Smith are being sentenced today after pleading guilty to violent disorder in Sunderland

    Manchester:

    • A 12-year-old boy who has admitted throwing a missile at a police van and taking part in two separate incidents of disorder in Manchester on 31 July and 3 August
    • A 16-year-old boy who admitted to throwing an object towards mounted police during disorder in Bolton on 4 August

    Hull:

    • A 15-year-old boy who admitted stealing food items from Greggs and bath products from Lush in Hull city centre on 3 August

    Newcastle-upon-Tyne:

    • Josh Kellett, 29, Leanne Hodgson, 43, and Andrew Smith, 41, who pleaded guilty to violent disorder in Sunderland on 2 August

    As a reminder, under-18s are not normally named in court reports for legal reasons.

  2. Where did the disorder take place?

    After the fatal stabbing of three young girls in Southport, riots broke out across England, and in Belfast in Northern Ireland.

    Crowds attacked mosques and accommodation housing asylum seekers, cars and buildings were set on fire, and shops looted. The Police Federation estimated more than 100 officers were injured.

    The disorder was fuelled by misinformation online, the far-right and anti-immigration sentiment.

    Counter-demonstrators responded with a series of rallies, which you can read more about here.

    Timeline with maps of the UK from July 30 to August 5. Each day more red dots appear highlighting areas where violence took place

  3. Why did the killing of children in Southport lead to violence?

    Pictures of the three girlsHandout

    On 29 July, Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, were killed in a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance and yoga event. Eight more children and two adults were injured.

    Later that day, police said they had arrested a 17-year-old from a village nearby and that they were not treating the incident as terror-related.

    Almost immediately after the attack, social media posts falsely speculated that the suspect was an asylum seeker who arrived in the UK on a boat in 2023, with an incorrect name being widely circulated. There were also unfounded rumours that he was Muslim.

    In fact, the suspect was born in Wales to Rwandan parents.

    The following evening, more than a thousand people attended a vigil for the victims in Southport. Later on, violence broke out in the town and developed into a riot.

    The day after, violent protests in London, Hartlepool and Manchester broke out, which police linked to Southport. More then took place throughout the week – with many targeting mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers.

  4. More due in court as riot prosecutions continue

    Welcome to our live coverage as more people are due in court over offences related to violent riots which broke out across parts of the country following the fatal stabbing of three young girls in Southport in July.

    The violence in England and Northern Ireland was fuelled by misinformation online, the far-right and anti-immigration sentiment.

    Crowds attacked mosques and asylum seekers' accomodation, cars and buildings were set on fire, and shops looted.

    Among those being sentenced is a 12-year-old boy who admitted to participating in two separate incidents of disorder in Manchester, and a 15-year-old boy, who admitted to stealing food from Greggs and bath products from Lush in Hull.

    Elsewhere, a hearing is taking place for a 15-year-old boy from Sunderland, who was the first person in England to be charged with riot.

    We'll be bringing you live updates and analysis here, so stay with us.