Man phoned Cambridge hotel to threaten asylum seekers as far-right riots broke out in UK

File photo dated 05/08/24 of damage at the Holiday Inn Express in Tamworth, Staffordshire, after a mob attacked it. The Prime Minister should not leave a job "half done" in his response to the summer riots, a think tank has said as it criticised the "vacuum" in policy around community cohesion. Sir Keir Starmer has been urged to set out his plan to stop a repeat of the violent disorder involving what he described at the time as "far-right thuggery" on the streets in some parts of the UK. Issue date: Thursday September 12, 2024. Credit: PA
The call came during the far-right's anti-immigration riots across the UK, which included protests at this hotel in Tamworth, Staffordshire. Credit: PA

A man who phoned a hotel to threaten asylum seekers has been given a criminal behaviour order.

Robert Shortman, 49, called a hotel in Cambridge on a withheld number in August, and asked it was housing asylum seekers.

He expressed his disgust over the premises housing "immigrants" and told the staff member to "be ready, we'll be coming for them".

The 36-second call came during the far-right's anti-immigration riots across the UK.

Immediately after the call, the staff member sent a panicked message to colleagues explaining what had happened.

Despite Shortman using a withheld number, police traced the call to him and he was later arrested at his home.

Shortman admitted calling the hotel and talking about housing asylum seekers, but insisted he did not intend to actually go there, nor did he want to scare anyone.

He pleaded not guilty to making threats of death or serious harm but was found guilty at trial.

Shortman, of Stevensons Road in Longstanton near Cambridge, was handed a five-year criminal behaviour order banning him from visiting or contacting the hotel.

PC Ryan Curtis, who investigated the case, said: “Given the widespread disorder across the country, the call Shortman made would have been very distressing for staff at the hotel.

“They would have had no idea whether he was going to follow up on his threats and it would have only added to the climate of fear at the time.

“If Shortman is found to be in breach of this order, it is an arrestable offence, and we will put him back before the courts.”

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