Scarborough teen jailed for racially aggravated behaviour following police crackdown on civil unrest

James Martin, 18, was one of three young men who “marched” down the road towards the Islamic Centre and adjacent mosque in Roscoe Street, York Crown Court heard.

Martin, wearing a bandana-type mask, a cap and draped in the St George’s flag, was carrying firelighters in his pocket as he marched down the street followed by police officers, said prosecutor Aimilia Katsoulakis.

Police had been on red alert that day following the riots that swept that nation at the peak of the recent civil unrest.

In the event, the fear that “widespread trouble” could break out in Scarborough never materialised and the bulk of police who had been deployed in the town on August 8 were stood down by the evening.

But, as a precaution, police chiefs kept a police presence in Roscoe Street which housed the Islamic Centre and mosque.

Officers on patrol followed Martin’s group down Roscoe Street as they headed for the Islamic Centre just after 10pm.

Ms Katsoulakis said that Martin and his two cohorts stopped outside the centre and began shouting and swearing as police tried to keep the peace and move them on.

“The defendant was wearing a face covering, a cap and waving an England flag,” said Ms Katsoulakis.

“He had been shouting, swearing and engaging in behaviour likely to cause harassment or distress.

"Many members of the Muslim community were outside the (Islamic) centre and engaging in prayer at the time.”

Martin, of Riggs Head, Scarborough, was shouting disparaging comments at the men at prayer as residents in the street looked out of their windows at the disturbance outside.

Ms Katsoulakis said there was “concern” for a member of the Islamic Centre who was stood outside.

“(Martin) was initially arrested to prevent a breach of the peace,” she added.

“However, he continued to exhibit destructive behaviour, insisting that he wouldn’t leave the area.”

Footage from a body-worn police camera showed officers encouraging Martin and his cohorts to leave the area but they ignored the request.

The footage showed one of Martin’s cohorts impudently telling police to keep their distance because “Covid is still about”.

One of the men was remonstrating about Prime Minister Keir Starmer and alleged “two-tier” policing.

Meanwhile, a police inspector went inside the Islamic Centre to give reassurance to two male members who were “fearful” about the disturbance outside where officers moved to arrest Martin, who was becoming increasingly disruptive and appeared to move towards police and push an officer as he resisted arrest.

When officers asked for his name and details, Martin refused to disclose them, but they identified him from documents and cards inside his wallet.

As they searched him, they also found a “clear plastic bag containing firelighters”.

The rest of his group left the area after initially remonstrating with police about Martin’s arrest.

After cuffing Martin, police offered him another chance to leave the area and avoid being taken into custody, but he still refused.

When he was warned he would end up in a police cell, he replied: “Well, let’s do that then (and) get a day off work.”

He was duly taken into custody and said he “wasn’t going to deny what happened” when quizzed by officers.

When asked why he had waved the England flag in the street, he said that people should be “proud” to parade the flag.

He refused to say why he had the firelighters and when asked if he had any remorse or any “issues with the people inside the Islamic Centre”, he again refused to comment.

Ms Katsoulakis said that Martin, who worked as an apprentice bricklayer, had never troubled the courts before.

He appeared for sentence today (Aug 22) after pleading guilty to possessing an article, namely the firelighters, with intent to damage or destroy property, resisting a police officer and causing racially-or-religiously-aggravated harassment, alarm or distress.

Ms Katsoulakis described the incident as a “substantial disturbance” witnessed by “many people” which appeared to be linked to instances of civil unrest in other parts of the country.

She said there were up to 30 officers at the scene, along with a police van.

Defence barrister Nick Peacock said that Martin had been offered a dispersal notice by police during the disturbance “but sadly decided to spend a night in the cell”.

He said although Martin had admitted carrying the firelighters with intent to damage property, it was a “strange” admission as he had “no matches, no fire”.

He said that Martin was from a good family and had supportive parents who were “devastated” and “shocked at his behaviour”.

Testimonies from his parents and his employer “spoke volumes” about the teenager who had acted “completely out of character”.

Martin had a “very strong work ethic” and was “very unlikely to be in trouble again”, notwithstanding his immaturity.

Mr Peacock said that Martin now stood to “lose everything” including his apprentice bricklaying job due to “one night’s actions”.

Judge Sean Morris, the Recorder of York, said although there was no widespread disorder as had been feared in Scarborough on that day, police had been proved right in keeping a presence in Roscoe Street “in case any hot heads decided to come onto that street and cause trouble”.

He told Martin: “You and others marched down that street.

"You brandished the English flag.

“That flag, by the way, belongs to everyone in this country and you disgraced it.

“You marched down that street to that (Islamic) centre with firelighters in your pocket.

"You have pleaded guilty, quite rightly, to possession of these items with intent to cause criminal damage by fire, no doubt.

"Had you gone ahead with that, the consequences could have been fatal.

“It may well be you only intended to set fire to a bin, who knows?

"But you had armed yourself and you marched down that street because you were motivated by dislike of others because of their skin or religion and the courts will not tolerate that.”

The judge added: “The police showed incredible patience and tolerance in trying to defuse the situation.

“Everyone in this country lives under the King’s peace whether they are British subjects or not and the police are there to maintain law and order, so that everybody can live in a civilised society, and this kind of behaviour is intolerable in a civilised society.

“I have read the testimonials and the letter from your family who you have let down very badly.

"They are very decent people and they must be at a loss, having seen the footage in court today, (at) seeing the other side of you, masked up, swearing, bad-mouthing the police, refusing to move on.

“This offending calls for an immediate prison sentence because there has to be an element of deterrence so that other men in work, aged 18, with no previous convictions, realise that actions have consequences.

“Whether these actions are online or on the street, the court will keep the peace by deterring others from such action.”

Martin was jailed for two years and two months but will only serve half of that behind bars before being released on prison licence.

Another suspect was arrested in connection with the same incident.

He was released on bail while enquiries continued.