Man admits throwing bricks at police outside Manchester asylum hotel

Another man admitted punching and kicking a man in the face during ‘shameful and frightening’ disorder.

Manchester Crown Court (Crown Square) in central Manchester (Anthony Devlin/PA) (PA Archive)

A man has admitted throwing bricks at police during disturbances outside a hotel in Manchester which was being used to house asylum seekers.

Paul Smith, 21, of Keynsham Road, Manchester, pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Thursday morning.

Prosecutor Robin Lynch said Smith was seen throwing “what appeared to be a glass beer bottle” during the disorder outside the Holiday Inn hotel on July 31.

Mr Lynch added: “He picks up bits of broken brick from the floor and also picks up another brick and throws it towards the wall to make it into smaller pieces, and throws it at the police.”

District Judge Joanne Hirst remanded Smith into custody and ordered him to appear at Manchester Crown Court to be sentenced on August 15.

District Judge Hirst told Smith: “Further civil unrest is anticipated and you were voluntarily involved in this unrest.”

After Smith was remanded into custody, members of his family approached the dock and bumped the glass, shouting: “Stay safe”.

Also on Thursday, a man admitted punching and kicking a man in the face during “shameful and frightening” disorder in Manchester.

This was shameful and frightening civil disorder in which a man was attacked by you due to his race

District Judge Joanne Hirst

Joseph Ley, 30, of Hardman Street, Stockport, pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Thursday afternoon.

Prosecutor Mr Lynch said “a large group of white males surrounded a black male” in Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester city centre on Saturday.

Mr Lynch added: “This defendant can be heard saying: ‘You got a problem with us English, bro?’”

Ley then pushed the man to the floor, where he punched and “forcefully kicked” him in the face, the court heard.

Mr Lynch said a crowd gathered round and appeared to “cheer and clap”, with some shouting “kill him” and “stamp on his f****** face”.

Mr Lynch added: “The crowd can be heard chanting ‘save our kids, save our kids’ as other police officers arrived at the scene.”

District Judge Hirst remanded Ley into custody to appear at Manchester Crown Court on August 15.

The judge told Ley: “This was shameful and frightening civil disorder in which a man was attacked by you due to his race.”

Ley also pleaded guilty to the possession of an offensive weapon, an extendable baton, that was found at his home.

Another man admitted carrying out a “spinning karate kick” against a shop window during the disorder in Manchester.

Oliver Chapman, 23, pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Thursday afternoon.

District Judge Hirst remanded Chapman into custody and ordered him to appear at Manchester Crown Court on August 15 to be sentenced.

The judge told Chapman: “You involved yourself in significant violent activity and damage to a local business.”