Man, 27, jailed for nine years for role in riot outside Rotherham asylum hotel

A man who played a key role in rioting outside a Rotherham hotel hosting asylum seekers has been jailed for nine years.

Painter and decorator Thomas Birley, 27, has been handed the longest prison sentence so far following the rioting in early August after he was jailed at Sheffield Crown Court for his role in the violence outside a hotel housing hundreds of asylum seekers.

Recorder of Sheffield Judge Jeremy Richardson KC told Birley, his case was “unquestionably” one of the most serious of the dozens he has dealt with in the last month in relation to the rioting outside the Holiday Inn Express, at Manvers, on 4 August.

Sheffield Crown Court heard how Birley, of Rowms Lane, Swinton, Rotherham, was involved in many of the worst incidents on that Sunday afternoon, including adding wood to the fire in the large industrial bin which had been pushed against an exit and helping place a further bin on top of the one ablaze.

Birley was also filmed throwing missiles at the police, squaring up to officers while brandishing a police baton and throwing a large bin which crashed into a line of police with riot shields.

The defendant has become the first person to be sentenced for arson with intent to endanger life following the 12 hours of violence in Manvers which left 64 police officers, three horses and a dog injured.

This is a breaking story and will be updated.