Instant justice was handed out to thugs who brought mayhem to the streets – by courts that sat through the night.
Riot yobs were jailed less than 24 hours after arrest as cases were fast-tracked in unprecedented late-night hearings. Greater Manchester Police say 97 people have now been charged in connection with the disturbances.
The M.E.N. today names and shames the first troublemakers to appear in the dock after the city centre and part of Salford were held to siege.
Three district judges were appointed to deal with the scores who faced charges in the wake of the chaos.
Among those who faced justice last night at Manchester Magistrates Court were:
- A 45-year-old man who tried to gouge a police officer’s eyes.
- A call centre employee who changed out of his suit before joining the fray.
- A biscuit factory worker who stole armfuls of designer gear.
- A schoolboy who rampaged through a jewellery store after being tipped off through Blackberry Messenger.
The first rioter to be jailed was Ricky Gemmell, 18, of Buckley Road, Levenshulme. He left his call centre job and changed his clothes before returning to the city to rant at police officers at the height of violence.
Moments after riot cops were pelted with bottles and missiles by a large pack of marauding youths, Gemmell began taunting them at Market Street.
In a four-letter tirade he told officers: "I’d smash you if you took your uniform off", before turning his back on them and gesturing to the mob.
The teenager, who has applied to join the army, claimed he was in the ‘wrong place at the wrong time’. He was jailed on the spot by District Judge Khalid Qureshi, who told him his behaviour was ‘monstrous’. Gemmell was sentenced to 16 weeks in youth custody.
The terrifying level of hostility officers faced was shown in the case of Bernard Moore – who tried to gouge out a policeman’s eyes.
Challenged for screaming abuse at riot cops at 6.30pm, Moore threatened told Pc Joseph Doyle: "I will come for you when you are asleep."
He then reached behind the visor of the officer’s helmet and began clawing at his face.
In a statement read in court, where Moore admitted using abusive language and assaulting a police officer, Pc Doyle said: "I could feel him scratching at my face trying to gouge my eyes out. At one point he put his finger in my mouth."
Sentencing Moore, of Ridgewood Avenue, Newton Heath, to 20 weeks behind bars, Judge Qureshi said the victim had been lucky to escape with only a small cut to his nose.
Eoin Flanagan, 28, tried to make off with expensive garments that others had looted from Pretty Green, the King Street clothing store founded by former Oasis star Liam Gallagher.
He was stopped by police carrying £175 of the clothes, and ‘high-end’ gadgets which had been dropped by people who had raided electrical stores.
Arrested and taken into custody, the brazen yob said: "I don’t really care."
Flanagan, of Carson Road, Levenshulme, who works at the nearby McVities plant, was jailed for eight months after admitting two thefts.
A 16-year-old boy, from Ancoats, who cannot be named for legal reasons, could be going to young offenders’ institution instead of the college course he was planning for.
He tried to open a cabinet and steal goods from the Swarovski jewellery store after being invited to join the mob on Blackberry Messenger, the encrypted messaging service which has been used to coordinate the violence. He pleaded guilty to burglary with intent to steal and awaits sentence.
Another teenager – 17-year-old Anthony Lloyd, of Hanover Street South, Audenshaw, was stopped on Portland Street at 1am, his pockets bulging with looted women’s jewellery he had found in the street.
Lloyd, who admitted using a red bandana to hide his face, also stole cigarettes from Snaith’s newsagent on Cooper Street, which suffered losses of £13,000. Lloyd awaits sentence after admitting burglary and handling stolen goods and has yet to be sentenced.
Jason Ulett, 38, of Woodward Court, Ancoats, swore at and struggled with officers who suspected him of being a looter because he was wearing dark hooded clothing and riding a bicycle outside Sainsburys at Whitworth Street, which had been vandalised by a mob.
Mr Ulett was jailed for 10 weeks and told that he should have cycled away from the violence instead of making trouble for officers facing ‘incredible odds’.
Tom Skinkis, 22, of Bold Street, Hulme, was jailed for four months after he abused passers-by and called them ‘scum’ and headbutted a shop door after his arrest. He admitted a public order offence.
Paul Obanyano, 42, of Cowesby Street, Moss Side, admitted a public order offence and obstructing a police officer and was jailed for 14 weeks.
Paul Ruane, aged 47, of Croyden Drive, Newton Heath, was jailed for eight weeks for handling stolen goods.
David Beswick tried to cash in as Salford Precinct was targeted by greedy louts. The 30-year-old was handed a £400 TV after Cash Generator was raided. But he ran out of petrol fleeing the scene and was spotted by officers walking down the street with a fuel can. When his car was searched the booty was recovered – now Beswick, of Anson Street, Eccles, has been remanded in custody after admitting handling stolen goods.
And the 22-year-old who left the trouble in Salford because he heard the riots in Manchester were 'better' has been jailed after assaulting a police officer. Aaron Grima, of Cromwell Road, Eccles, scraped a police officer along the floor as he tried to escape his grip, causing minor injuries. He grinned as he told officers 'I'm here looting' - and has now been jailed for four months
Dane Tremlow, 28, of Westwood Avenue, Worsley, was seen running along the dual carriageway in front of Salford Shopping City struggling with a £300 TV. He has pleaded guilty to theft and been remanded in custody until sentence.
Glodi Kuba, 18, of Great Cheetham Street West, Salford, denied violent disorder near the MEN Arena, and was remanded in custody. Aron Jones, 20, of no fixed address, admitted burgling a TV and possessing cannabis and was remanded in custody until sentence.
Bilal Khan, 24, of Madison Apartments, Seymour Grove, Old Trafford, denied stealing clothing and footwear from Foot Asylum on Cross Street.
Michael Gillespie-Doyle, 20, from Audenshaw, was remanded in custody after admitting burglary and stealing cigarettes.
Thomas Downey, 48, of no fixed address, helped himself to food at the Krispy Kreme store at Mosley Street. Downey, who admitted burglary, was remanded in custody and will be sentenced next week.
Marvin Gigger, 41, of Himley Road, Clayton, took £70 of cigarettes from a newsagents. He was remanded in custody after admitting burglary.
Lance Lindsay, 24, of Cranford Avenue, Burnage, faces four charges of burglary and one of receiving stolen goods. He did not enter a plea.
Shaun Davies, 27, of Rosebery Street, Moss Side, was charged with burglary with intent to steal at Maplins at Oxford Road, but did not plea.
Martin Carr, 20, of Cocker Street, Little Hulton, Salford, denied burgling the Sainsbury’s store on Mosley Street and was remanded in custody.
Kickboxing instructor Dylan Whitworth, 20, of Costabeck Walk, Newton Heath, denies burgling Tesco at Mosley Street with intent to steal £50 of lager. He was remanded in custody.
Gareth Dunning, 21, of North Lonsdale Street, Stretford, is charged with attempted burglary, handling stolen goods, criminal damage and possessing cannabis after police went to Argos in Stretford Arndale. He was remanded in custody.