A smirking thug who stood ‘shoulder to shoulder’ with the far-right denies being a racist.
Shaun Holt, 42, has been locked up for two-and-a-half years for his role in rioting in Manchester city centre. Far-right activists organised a demonstration in Piccadilly Gardens, after ‘entirely false’ rumours about the identity of the alleged perpetrator of the killing of three young girls in Southport circulated online.
The incident turned violent and police had to intervene to quell the disturbances. During the ugly scenes, Holt’s actions ‘encouraged’ an attack on a lone black man, and he struck an Asian man to the head.
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After being arrested, Holt, from Stockport, told police that he’d attended after having seen the event publicised online. His lawyer denied that Holt was part of any ‘far-right political group’.
He claimed that Holt’s ‘concern is for children more broadly’. The M.E.N. understands that Holt runs a paedophile hunter group.
Prosecuting, Duncan Wilcock said that during the incident, on Saturday, August 3, a lone black man was set upon by a number of thugs who punched and kicked him. Holt had ‘encouraged’ the assault by running towards the victim, before making ‘gestures’ while at the back of a group, the court heard.
Shortly after, Holt was seen assaulting an Asian man by ‘striking him to the head’. Holt, who has two previous convictions for violence, was arrested two days later.
He admitted that he’d been present at the incident but denied his behaviour amounted to violent disorder. Holt told police that he’d seen the protest advertised on Facebook and decided to attend.
He arrived with four or eight cans of cider, drinking a ‘few’ and handing out some to others. But Holt later pleaded guilty to violent disorder.
Sentencing, Judge John Potter told him: “You, Shaun Holt, were part of that ‘far right’ group. You say you are not someone who should be viewed as a racist.
“On that day you chose to stand shoulder to shoulder with others who clearly were. Your presence encouraged others to indulge in grotesque acts of racist violence, and indeed you are seen on the camera to indulge in such violence yourself.”
Defending, Fen Greatley-Hirsch claimed that Holt played a ‘peripheral’ role in the disorder. He said that Holt had become ‘carried away’ and was ‘going along with others’.
The lawyer said Holt has ‘several’ children, including a teenage daughter who he has sole care for and has ‘significant health difficulties’. Mr Greatley-Hirsch appealed for Holt to be spared jail, noting his last previous conviction was from a decade ago.
But Judge Potter ruled that the case was too serious, telling Holt, of Oak Road, Stockport, that he’d played a ‘full part’ in the ‘appalling’ incident. He also imposed a three year criminal behaviour order.
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