Teenager admits setting firework at police as men appear in court charged with riot-related crimes
ITV Granada Reports correspondent Rob Smith was in court to see those charged appear
A schoolboy has admitted setting fireworks off at police and the public during rioting in Liverpool.
The 14-year-old, who cannot be named because of his age, told an officer "I’m sorry, I wasn’t firing them at you,” when he was arrested by police after they gave chase.
Sitting as a youth court, the teen pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Liverpool Magistrates Court.
Joshua Sanderson-Kirk, prosecuting, said the boy was initially spotted in a group of eight to 12 other young people in Clayton Square, Liverpool, at about 10.30pm on 3 August setting fireworks off in the direction of members of the public and a police carrier.
“They exploded underneath the police carrier," he said.
The court heard the boy, who cannot be named because of his age, said “I’m sorry, I wasn’t firing them at you, though”, when he was arrested by police after they gave chase.
He had five fireworks and a lighter in his possession.
The boy, whose father and uncle were in court, has no previous convictions, the court heard.
Iqbal Singh Kang, defending, said the teenager had been in the city centre to catch a bus home: “He did not head into the city centre with the intention of causing any kind of disturbance or adding to the disorder.
“Without thinking things through, he became involved in something much more serious. It’s completely out of the blue.”
The boy was released on bail until 27 August, when he will be sentenced.
A number of other men have appeared in court, including William Nelson Morgan, 69, who pleaded guilty at Liverpool Magistrates’ to violent disorder and possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.
He was identified in a crowd who were throwing bricks towards officers on County Road in the city on Saturday night and had a wooden baton with him.
He resisted arrest and shouted at an officer to get off him when he was detained, the court was told.
District Judge Timothy Boswell remanded the defendant in custody to appear for sentence at Liverpool Crown Court on August 29.
Derek Drummond, 58, of Pool Street, Southport, admitted punching a police officer outside Southport mosque during riots on Tuesday 30 July.
The prosecution said PC Thomas Ball was deployed to the mosque on St Luke’s Road, where a group of around 300 people arrived shouting “this is our f****** country” and “scumbag b*******s”.
The court heard officers had to withdraw for fear of being overwhelmed.
PC Ball stood to protect colleagues as they tried to put on riot gear when Drummond became violent, and moved towards him, punching him in the face, Mr Sanderson-Kirk said.
Bricks were later thrown after a garden wall was broken down, the court was told.
District Judge Timothy Boswell remanded Drummond in custody for sentencing at Liverpool Crown Court.
Declan Geiran, 29, of Kelso Road, Liverpool, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and arson.
Geiran was seen on CCTV in Liverpool city centre on Saturday using an “implement” to set fire to a police Ford Transit van which had been abandoned by officers.
He was tracked by CCTV and arrested. No application for bail was made and Geiran was remanded in custody.
Liam Riley, 41, of Walton Road in Liverpool, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and racially-aggravated threatening behaviour in the city centre on Saturday.
The prosecution said he was among a group of about 100 people.
When police moved to disperse them the defendant “stood his ground”, shouting and waving his arms before officers detained him, the court heard.
Mr Sanderson-Kirk said: “He was shouting at officers, telling them they were traitors and Muslim lovers.”
He appeared very drunk and had a poster saying “This is our city”, having come to the city centre, with a St George’s Flag, to attend a protest at the Pier Head, the court heard.
Adam Wharton, 28, of Selwyn Street, Liverpool, indicated a guilty plea to burglary other than dwelling with intent to steal and was sent to Crown Court to be sentenced later this month.
Wharton was seen outside the Spellow Library on County Road on Sunday, wearing a balaclava and “sweating profusely”. The library had previously been burnt out and looted, the court heard.
Wharton, wearing a grey tracksuit and with long curly hair, was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing.
Meanwhile his brother Ellis Wharton, 22, also of Selwyn Street, pleaded guilty to burglary other than dwelling, with intent to steal.
Wharton, who had a black eye, pleaded not guilty to assault by beating of an emergency worker, PC Thomas Nielsen.
District Judge Timothy Boswell refused an application for bail and remanded him in custody.
Other suspects also appeared in the same court: Gareth Metcalfe, 44, and John O’Malley, 43, both of Cambridge Gardens in Southport, who have been charged with violent disorder.
Metcalfe, spoke to confirm his name, address and date of birth and gave no indication of plea.
No application for bail was made and Metcalfe was remanded in custody to appear at Liverpool Crown Court.
Lloyd Killner, 35, of Lincoln, Lincolnshire, appeared charged with violent disorder in Liverpool city centre on Saturday.
Asked to enter a plea, he said: “Not guilty, I was on my own.”
He was remanded in custody to appear at Liverpool Crown Court on 30 August.
Jimmy Bailey, 45, of Station Avenue in Little Sutton, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, pleaded not guilty at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court to violent disorder.
He is accused of being involved in disorder in Paradise Street in Liverpool city centre on Saturday.
He was remanded in custody to appear at Liverpool Crown Court on 30 August.