Starmer says rioters can expect rapid sentencing

The prime minister has said those caught being involved in riots across England and Northern Ireland can expect to be rapidly processed through the courts.

After chairing his second emergency co-ordination meeting with police chiefs in as many days, Sir Keir Starmer emerged to say he was now expecting “substantive sentencing” of rioters within days.

James Nelson, 18, of Bolton, is thought to be the first person to be jailed for their part in the disorder. He was convicted of causing criminal damage in the town and given a two-month prison sentence.

It is understood there are at least 30 potential gatherings planned for Wednesday that police are aware of but they believe the situation is “manageable”.

In Northern Ireland on Tuesday evening, a young boy was left with minor facial injuries after an attack in west Belfast which police are treating as a hate crime.

More than 400 arrests have been made so far after days of disorder in various UK towns and cities following the killing of three girls in Southport – fuelled by misinformation spread online that the suspect was an asylum seeker.

Inquests are to be opened later at Bootle Town Hall, Merseyside, into the deaths of Bebe King, six, Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven.

Around 100 people have already been charged in connection with the recent disturbances in parts of England and Northern Ireland.

On Tuesday night, charges continued to be brought by police forces with defendants expected in court on Wednesday.

Merseyside Police said two 38-year-old men had been charged with violent disorder in connection with unrest in Southport and Liverpool.

Nigel Farage, leader of the opposition Reform UK party, has gone on social media to say he does not support “street protests, violence or thuggery in any way”.

Sir Keir praised the “robust and swift response” of the criminal justice system, adding he expected sentencing of some of those involved to take place by the end of the week.

Speaking to reporters after chairing his second Cobra meeting in two days, the prime minister said: “That should send a very powerful message to anybody involved, either directly or online, that you are likely to be dealt with within a week.

“Nobody, but nobody, should be involved themselves in this disorder.”

Mr Farage proposed a plan to stop the rioting which involved ending “mass immigration” and getting “all the police chiefs across the UK together and to say to them, start policing even-handedly”.

Nearly 6,000 public order officers are being mobilised to respond to any disorder in the coming days, according to police sources.

The Metropolitan Police said it was “aware” of events planned in parts of London on Wednesday and would “use every power, tactic and tool available to prevent further scenes of disorder”.

Earlier the director of public prosecutions, Stephen Parkinson, told the BBC prosecutors were considering terrorism offences for some suspects.

He also said his teams would consider seeking the extradition of social media influencers allegedly playing a role in the disorder from abroad.

Separately, Jordan Parlour, 28, from Leeds, appeared before magistrates to indicate a guilty plea to a charge of using threatening words or behaviour intending to stir up racial hatred, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

The CPS said the charge related to a series of Facebook posts made by Parlour in connection with disorder in Leeds on 3 August about attacking a hotel where asylum seekers were housed.

He has been remanded in custody until a sentencing hearing on Friday.

The government also said on Tuesday said it would make more than 500 new prison places available to ensure those taking part in the violence could be jailed.