A man who tore down walls to throw bricks at police during a riot in Southport has been jailed.
Nicholas Mullen, of Kingsley Avenue, Wigan, was seen on CCTV throwing bricks towards a line of officers, which “during one particularly shocking moment” hit a constable, police said.
Merseyside police said the 22-year-old was also captured on footage from a police helicopter, and on camera phone footage taken by others, taking part in the disorder on 30 July 2024.
He was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison at Liverpool Crown Court for violent disorder and assaulting an emergency worker.
Riots broke out after Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Aguiar, nine, were killed and 10 others were injured in a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on 29 July.
Mullen’s conviction and sentencing on 3 April brings the number sentenced for their role in the disorder in Southport and Liverpool to 130.
“Mullen came to a community grieving the loss of three young girls just 24 hours earlier, still reeling from the awful events of 29 July,” Detective Sergeant Duncan Sloan said.
“He came here with one clear intention: to cause chaos and destruction. His actions left rubble strewn in our streets, and a police officer deployed to protect our community in Southport was struck with a brick.
“Mullen will now have a considerable time in prison to consider his actions, and whether they furthered whatever cause he thought he was fighting for.
“We know that his actions and those of everyone who took to the streets to commit disorder that day caused nothing but fear, concern and distress to residents in the area.
“The disgusting scenes witnessed will not be tolerated and we advise anyone else who took part in the disorder to do the right thing and hand themselves in.”
