Fathers who took sons to asylum hotel riot in Rotherham jailed

Two fathers who took their sons to a riot at a hotel housing asylum seekers are the latest to be jailed in connection with the disorder.

Stephen Roughley, 44, took his teenage son Kenzie to the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers, Rotherham, on 4 August, where police officers were attacked and the hotel left extensively damaged.

Mason Reddy, 24, was seen pushing a pram and carrying his son, aged around two, in his arms while he shouted a racial slur, Sheffield Crown Court heard.

Both admitted violent disorder, with Roughley jailed for two years and eight months and Reddy jailed for three years.

Roughley, of South Elmsall, Wakefield, was filmed throwing items at a police van and starting chants alongside his son, who was the first person to be jailed following the disorder.

In August, Kenzie Roughley was jailed for two years and four months after he abused officers and rocked a police van.

During Kenzie’s sentencing, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC said the teenager had had a “deplorable upbringing”, with his father absent from the public gallery.

“I expect if the father attended [court] he’d be arrested,” Judge Richardson remarked at the time.

Body-worn video showed Roughley, who admitted violent disorder at a previous hearing, pushing past his son to verbally abuse officers.

His barrister said his client was “thoroughly embarrassed and ashamed” of his behaviour.

Reddy, who was dressed in “distinctive clothing” and wearing odd shoes, also took his son to the hotel disorder, the court heard.

He went on to throw bricks and rocks at the hotel and cheered when rioters lit a fire, the sentencing heard.

In mitigation, the court heard Reddy, of Victoria Street, Goldthorpe, Barnsley, had taken his son with him as he had intended to protest peacefully.

Also sentenced at the court was Daniel Dicks, who was pictured on the day wearing a camouflage coat and mask.

The hearing heard he told officers they were “protecting” those inside the hotel, adding, “we want them”, the court heard.

A shopping trolley was kicked towards a police van by Dicks, 33, who was then hit by the baton of a police officer.

He wrote a letter to the judge expressing remorse and pleaded guilty to violent disorder.

Dicks, of Probert Avenue, Goldthorpe, was jailed for two years and eight months.

Regan Urruty Dever, 22, of Ouse Terrace, Doncaster, had “limited involvement” and attended the hotel for about 20 minutes, the court heard.

He was said to have grabbed the riot shields of officers and later expressed remorse for his actions.

Dever pleaded guilty to violent disorder at an earlier magistrates’ court hearing and was jailed for two years.

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