Three men have been sentenced for their roles in the subsequent riots following the tragic deaths of three young girls during protests in Southport.
The Crown Court has delivered these sentences after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer vowed to impose harsh and immediate consequences for those involved in the unrest.
Here are the details of the individuals involved in the Southport protests:
- Liam Riley, 41, from Kirkdale, confessed to charges of violent disorder and a racially aggravated public order offence in Liverpool city centre on a Saturday night. The court learned that Riley had been heavily intoxicated and was found with a poster reading “This is our city.” He has been sentenced to 20 months in prison.
- Derek Drummond, 58, from Southport, admitted to charges of violent disorder and assaulting an emergency worker in Southport the following day. Drummond was part of a group of about 300 people who aggressively marched towards a mosque, chanting “this is our f***ing country.” He has received a three-year prison sentence.
- Declan Geiran, 29, from Liverpool, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and arson. Geiran was caught on CCTV setting a police van on fire in Liverpool city centre and was found with three lighters at the time of his arrest. He has been sentenced to 30 months—28 months for the riot-related charges and an additional two months for sending threatening messages to a woman.
Judge Andrew Menary KC commented that “every decent member of the community affected by these events will have been appalled, horrified, and deeply disturbed by what happened in their neighborhood.”
Prime Minister Starmer expressed hope that these sentences would send a “powerful message” to anyone thinking about engaging in future unrest, as police prepare for potential additional disturbances across the country.
