A 69-year-old retired widow was arrested for failing to disperse from the scene and sentenced this week to 32 months in prison for her role in mass anti-immigration riots.
William Nelson Morgan, 69, is thought to be the oldest person to be sentenced to prison as a result of anti-immigrant riots that erupted across the UK after a gang stabbing attack in Southport by a group of teenagers, both second-generation Rwandan immigrants, killed three girls and injured several others.
Morgan is Sentenced Liverpool Crown Court sentenced him to two years and eight months in prison after he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and possessing an offensive weapon during the riot in County Road, Liverpool, last week.
According to To GuardianMorgan, a retired welder, widow and father of three, had no prior criminal history.
Jailed | Four men have been jailed for a total of eight years and three months over the riots. #Liverpool and #SouthportSeven men are now behind bars following unrest in Merseyside, according to the latest court findings. Read more here: https://t.co/voAnZ3Z3yv pic.twitter.com/dwAgD79Qzk
— Merseyside Police (@MerseyPolice) August 8, 2024
Police body camera footage of the arrest shown in court showed Morgan, holding the bat, telling police: “I’m British and I’m 70 years old, leave me alone!” and “Leave me alone, I’m 70 years old, you bastards.”
The officer attempting to arrest Morgan responded, “Well, why are you here? Why are you participating in a riot?”
After being detained by three officers, the 69-year-old man can be heard apologising to police, saying: “I’m sorry and I appreciate what you did.”
England in crisis: Starmer vows swift action against anti-immigration ‘extremists’, Government adviser backs Covid-style lockdown to prevent riotshttps://t.co/1UX3uFwa1G
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) August 4, 2024
Barrister Paul Lewis, representing Mr Morgan, pleaded with the court not to jail the elderly man, saying prison would be “particularly intolerable” for him.
Mr Lewis said the incident was “uncharacteristic of Mr Morgan” and that he “accepts he acted in an intoxicated manner and was unable to control himself in the presence of a large crowd”.
Nonetheless, the court found that Morgan needed to be jailed for his role in a crime “committed against society at large.”
Sentencing him to 32 months’ imprisonment, the Honorary Recorder of Liverpool, Judge Menary KC, said: “Given your age and your character, it is truly sad to see you stand in the dock at Crown Court.”
Morgan was jailed for two years and eight months for assault, along with three other men, Adam Wharton, 28, who was jailed for one year and eight months for robbery with intent to steal, and Ellis Wharton, 22, who was jailed for 11 months for robbery with intent to steal and assaulting an emergency worker.
Ex-police chief says anti-immigration riots should be treated like terrorismhttps://t.co/9MHHvTVGlY
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) August 6, 2024
