Men part of ‘ignorant mob’ at Rotherham hotel attack jailed

Niven Matthewman and Nathan Palmer had pleaded guilty to violent disorder over the August 4 unrest.

Fire extinguishers are used on police officers as trouble flares during an anti-immigration protest outside the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. Picture date: Sunday August 4, 2024. (PA Wire)

Two men who took part in an “ignorant mob” attacking a Rotherham hotel housing asylum seekers have been jailed.

Niven Matthewman and Nathan Palmer had pleaded guilty to violent disorder over the August 4 unrest and were sentenced to two years and eight months’ imprisonment in separate hearings at Sheffield Crown Court.

The court heard on Monday how Matthewman, 19, of Swinton, threw a chair at police and yelled “Yorkshire, Yorkshire” outside the Holiday Inn hotel after it was on fire.

Video footage earlier also showed him draped in an England flag by a police van, which had a police constable, sergeant and police dog inside, being kicked and rocked by others blocking its path.

The court heard how 58 police officers were injured from the protracted incident that day, alongside three police dogs and a police horse.

Judge Jeremy Richardson KC described Matthewman as “well to the fore” participating in the racist disorder, and the incident was “extremely frightening for anyone who was there”.

Meanwhile, Palmer, a self-employed home renovator, was referred to as on the “frontline” of a large mob which became increasingly violent towards police and the hotel.

The court heard how Palmer, of Hemingfield, was on licence for drug offending when he grabbed a police shield which was then passed around after an officer fell around an embankment.

It was also heard in mitigation that he attended the protest he saw on social media out of “nosiness” as he lives nearby.

Judge Richardson said: “You sought to provoke police officers and by your conduct, you were spreading hate.

“It was an incident of major public disorder which has badly damaged the reputation of the town of Rotherham and South Yorkshire.

“You were part of a group of predominantly men who were being extremely provocative towards the police who were trying to protect the hotel from damage, they were also trying to protect the occupants of the hotel who were inside, terrified of what might happen to them.”

The judge also said it was sad that Palmer will miss the last months of his ill grandmother’s life, who he cares for, as he will be in prison, but he added: “You are the author of that personal disaster, no one else is to blame, you are to blame.”