Two jailed for ‘encouraging violence’ in Tamworth disorder

The court heard Stonehouse told police he wanted to “get his point across” and he was unhappy about his taxes being spent on housing asylum seekers.

Defending the pair, Mark Moore said the couple, who pleaded guilty to violent disorder at an earlier hearing, had shown “incredible naivety”.

“They made a stupid decision to go to the protest and they became swept up in that,” he added.

Judge John Edwards sentenced the couple to 21 months in prison and imposed a criminal behaviour order (CBO) on them, which bans them from going to the hotel or any other place they believe is housing asylum seekers.

Judge Edwards said they attended out of misplaced curiosity but should have gone home instead of “vociferously venting” their opinions and “encouraging violence”.

He said the incident outside the hotel was an excuse for “wanton lawlessness” and those involved were “criminals who do not represent the decent people of Tamworth”.