A self-styled paedophile hunter has been jailed for eight months for racially abusing pro-Palestinian protesters after telling police he was only chanting ‘Who the f*** is Allan?’.
Phil Hoban, 48, was a prominent figure in an anti-immigration demonstration in Leeds on Saturday, August 3, where he could be seen shouting at hundreds of rival protesters and leading the chanting.
The anti-immigration demo in the city centre was part of a series across England but, despite some scuffles with police, it did not turn violent in the same way as others in Hull and Liverpool on the same day.
Father-of-three Hoban is the founder of Predator Exposure — a group which set up sting operations against men who made contact with fake profiles of teenage girls they set up online.
Hoban, of Northcote Crescent, Leeds, was jailed on Thursday after previously admitting causing racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress.
Sentencing Phil Hoban, the Recorder of Leeds, Judge Guy Kearl KC told him: ‘You climbed on to a barrier and started rubbing your lips towards a person of colour.
‘You were standing alongside, and in the same group as, others who were making similarly racist and insulting gestures, some making monkey noises and gestures.
‘You then started to imitate the manner in which Muslim people pray, in order to mock their religion and, at a slightly later time, you were chanting ‘Allah, Allah, who the f*** is Allah.’
The court heard how, after his arrest, Hoban disputed this last statement, telling officers he was chanting; ‘Who the f*** is Alan’.
Predator Exposure’s activities have resulted in prosecutions, including that of Irish TV producer Kieran Creaven who was jailed in 2018 after he was tricked by Predator Exposure into flying from Dublin to Leeds to meet a ‘girl’ he had groomed on Facebook with hundreds of messages.
In 2019, Hoban was one of a group of six from Predator Exposure who went on trial accused of offences including false imprisonment following sting operations against two men.
But they were all acquitted by a jury after telling the court they were engaged in lawful citizens’ arrests.
Today Judge Kearl said: ‘What you have done cannot be viewed in isolation. It must be viewed against the background of unrest and disorder in the country.
‘This was your contribution to that disorder both in this city and nationwide.
‘Your conduct and that of your group was designed to stir up hatred. It took place at a time when the social climate was particularly sensitive.’
Before he was sentenced, Phil Hoban told a judge at Leeds Crown Court: ‘I would like to apologise to the people I offended and am truly sorry for the offence I have caused to them. I mean that from the bottom of my heart.’
He said: ‘I’m no racist and it’s killing me inside being labelled this.’
Hoban, who told the court he could not afford a barrister, said from the dock that he was mixed race, had three mixed-race children and detailed charity work he did with the black and Asian communities in Beeston, Leeds.
He told the Recorder of Leeds, Judge Guy Kearl KC, he had hurt his family ‘all for being a stupid, drunken idiot’.
He also said he was stepping down from his ‘child protection’ work which, he told the court, had snared 440 online predators.
It comes as more than 1,100 people have now been arrested over the far-right violence, with almost 650 charged, the NPCC confirmed today.
Footage published today captured them moment a brazen rioter got his just deserts after he drove more than 50 miles to hurl racist abuse at police during a riot, before boasting about his injuries.
Stuart Bolton, 38, travelled from his home in Barrow-upon-Humber to Rotherham on August 4 with his partner and 15-year-old son after watching live coverage of the violence outside Holiday Inn.
The thug launched into a vile verbal attack on officers while there shouting ‘come here you P***, finish it, finish it’, and ‘one on one, I’ll kill you. I’ll kill you. F**k that, f**k that, f**k that’.
He was snared by cops after he boasted at a Shell petrol station about taking part in the riot and officers causing the injury to his head.
Bodycam footage from his arrest shows how Bolton launched into an aggressive tirade, shouting ‘you know your officers assaulted me’, as he walked along a pavement with a shopping bag.
Police then proceed to arrest Bolton who shouts: ‘What have I been done for? ‘What have I been done for’, as one officer tells him to ‘calm down’.
One female officer was forced to raise her voice while reading his rights, shouting ‘listen’ as Bolton repeats ‘look at the back of my head’, referencing the injury he received after the riot.
Mark Bowen, 40, was handed a 25-month sentence after shouting at police: ‘Shame on you, you horrible c****, I hope it’s your f****** kids next mate.’
Bowen claimed in police interview that he did not have social media and believed he was joining in with a ‘football celebration’.
He was the third man to jailed at Bristol Crown Court yesterday. He also pleaded guilty to violent disorder when he appeared at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on Friday 9 August having been arrested after verbally abusing members of the public and police officers. He was sentenced to two years and a month.
Footage released today shows the moment Bowen screamed at police.
Dominic Capaldi, 34, was handed 34 months in prison after he was captured on police bodycam footage throwing objects towards officers in the city’s Castle Park.
He pleaded guilty when he appeared at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on Saturday 10 August and was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court to two years and 10 months in prison.
Daniel Russell, 47, was jailed for 32 months after he was seen kicking a black man, who may have been part of an anti-racism protest.
Elliot Wragg, 23, was clearly in denial, answering ‘no comment’ when he was questioned by officers about his involvement in the violent mass disorder.
However, an overwhelming about of evidence placed Wragg at the scene of this disgusting display of disorder and brutality, with social media videos showing Wragg throwing items at officers, forcing him to plead guilty to violent disorder at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
Wragg, of Assembly Way, Barnsley, has been sentenced to two years and four months.
Upon sentencing, Judge Richardson said: ‘You were a participant of this mob of violent and ignorant individuals. Your conduct was vile towards police officers.’
Glyn Guest was the first to be sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court. Despite the 60-year-old claiming he was only at the hotel out of curiosity, he was seen aggressively confronting officers who were bravely protecting the hotel and its residents.
Despite being warned, Guest grabbed the riot shield of an officer causing them to fall towards the crowd of unruly thugs. His abhorrent behaviour was captured on camera, leading to his arrest and charge.
Guest, of Pearson Crescent, Wombwell, pleaded guilty on Monday at Sheffield Magistrates and yesterday was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison.
During sentencing, the Record of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC said: ‘You have brought shame on yourself and the town of which you are a resident.’
Meanwhile, police in Merseyside have issued pictures of another eight riot suspects wanted in connection with the violent disorder in Southport and Liverpool.
Anyone with information about the identities of the men pictures have been asked to contact police directly.
Detective Chief Inspector Tony Roberts said: ‘These eight males need to make themselves known as soon as possible, as we think they could assist our ongoing investigations into the incidents of disorder in Southport and Liverpool.
‘Each and every person who took part can expect to face the consequences of their actions. ‘We are still working through footage and images as they come in and we’ll continue to arrest, charge and put before the courts anyone identified.
‘To date, we have arrested 74 people, and charged 41. There will be more to come in the following days and weeks.
‘Please contact us with names and the corresponding number on the image and we will do the rest.’
Two women have admitted violent disorder relating to unrest in Bristol on August 3.
Elly-Jayne Cox, 33, of Bishopsworth, Bristol and Lisa Bishop, 38, of Lawrence Weston, Bristol, appeared before Bristol Magistrates’ Court on Thursday morning.
Both defendants pleaded guilty to a charge of violent disorder and were remanded into custody by District Judge Joanna Dickens.
They will appear before Bristol Crown Court on Friday to be sentenced.
Three people have also pleaded guilty to violent disorder in connection with events in Plymouth on Monday, August 5.
Kerry Gove, aged 34, Andrew Ball, aged 49 and Grant Braidwood, aged 40, who are all from Plymouth have been remanded in custody and will be sentenced at Plymouth Crown Court tomorrow.
A 15-year-old boy who admitted to violent disorder in Sunderland and stealing a vape from a shop is being sentenced today, as well as the ‘ringleader’ of the Southport riot who attached a black man in Manchester.
A man who threw bricks at police outside a hotel housing asylum seekers has been jailed for two years and 10 months.
Paul Smith, 21, of Keynsham Road, Manchester, was sentenced for violent disorder on Thursday morning at Manchester Crown Court.
In footage shown in court, Smith can be seen throwing bricks and a bottle towards police officers and vehicles during the disorder outside the Holiday Inn hotel in Manchester on July 31.
Prosecutor Philip Hall said of Smith’s demeanour on the footage: ‘He’s smiling and appears to be taking some delight from the event.’
In his sentencing remarks, Judge John Potter said: ‘On July 29, an appalling and tragic attack took place in Southport. Three children lost their lives and numerous other children and adults were seriously injured in a knife attack.
‘Shortly after that attack, lies were deliberately spread via leaflets, the internet and social media as to who may have been responsible.
‘This material emphasised the supposed nationality, ethnicity and religion of the alleged attacker.
‘Inspired by the ignorance of racism, mobs gathered in towns and cities throughout the country intent on retribution.’
A man who carried out a ‘spinning kick’ against a shop window during disorder in Manchester has been jailed for 20 months.
Oliver Chapman, 23, of Duke Street, Radcliffe, was sentenced for violent disorder on Thursday afternoon at Manchester Crown Court.
Prosecutor Philip Hall said Chapman was ‘part of a group seen kicking shop fronts’ in Manchester city centre on August 3.
During a police interview, Chapman admitted kicking a shop front, saying: ‘I’d done a silly spinning kick to it.’
Judge John Potter told Chapman that he had taken part in an ‘incident of lawlessness’ and ‘violently kicked a glass door’.
The judge added: ‘You decided to align yourself with a large group of individuals who were intent on causing violence.’
of the others you sent through, which are all excellent: I think they were all done sentenced yesterday, but the vids are new today?
Two more men have been charged following disorder in Merseyside.
Daniel Carrigan, 41, of Preston Grove, Anfield, was charged with violent disorder and criminal damage in Southport, and Luke Moran, 38, of Leybourne Avenue, Birkdale, was charged with violent disorder, Merseyside Police said.
Both men will appear at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court later on Thursday.
Meanwhile, a further three people have been charged following the disorder in Bristol earlier this month, taking the total number to 15.
Lisa Bishop, 38, of Lawrence Weston, Bristol, Bradley McCarthy, 34, of Knowle, Bristol, and Elly-Jane Cox, 33, of Bishopsworth, Bristol, were all charged with violent disorder.
They are due to appear at Bristol Magistrates’ Court later today.
Cleveland Police said a 40-year-old woman has been charged with violent disorder in relation to unrest in Hartlepool on July 31.
Donna Conniff, of Alford Court, Hartlepool, has been remanded in custody to appear at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
House husband Ian Vetier was jailed for 18 months for violent disorder for taking part in a ‘far-right’ protest in Weymouth despite the efforts of his wife to coax him away.
The father-of-three pleaded guilty to the offence at Bournemouth Crown Court in relation to the demonstration on August 4.
Richard Tutt, prosecuting, said that the 36-year-old played a ‘prominent’ role among the group he described as the ‘Enough is enough’ group which had gathered to confront a larger Stand Up To Racism group.
He described how police officers feared for their safety as they attempted to control the protest group who were shouting and swearing aggressively at them.
He added that the police attempted to stop the ‘far-right group’ as it attempted to march towards the counter-demonstration despite such a march not being ‘planned or agreed’ with the police.
He said that an officer ‘noticed two males pushing and shoving against one of the police sergeants who was then pushing back and the two males were trying to get past the cordon’.
He added: ‘One of those males was identified as Ian Vetier and he is noticeable as he is one of a few males who was shirtless and was holding a Union Jack flag in his right hand.’
He added: ‘Mr Vetier can be seen and heard shouting ‘It’s a free country mate’, and a little later he was saying words to this effect: ‘You f****** wrong ‘un, back them f****** ragheads, c**** mate, the lot of them.
‘The protest group then started chanting collectively ‘Who the f*** is Allah?’
He said that Vetier then shouted in front of an officer: ‘You want to back them f****** lot down there, you f****** idiots, the lot of you, you are not f****** British at all, you c**** aren’t f****** British’.
‘He then walked back into the main protest group.’
Mr Tutt said that about two hours later Vetier was seen arriving in a car where he confronted officers in the cordon for taking photographs of the car.
He said that Vetier shouted aggressively to officers: ‘F****** waste of space, what’s the point, why are you taking pictures, you f****** piglet, you are f****** scum’ and ‘other similarly charming expressions’.
Richard Martin, defending, said that Vetier had shown remorse for his actions and had pledged not to attend another demonstration in the future.
The court heard that Vetier was a ‘house husband’ who had previously been convicted of three counts covering seven offences of dishonesty between 2013 and 2016.
Mr Martin said: ‘He puts it down to getting caught up in the heat of the moment, your honour knows this was a highly emotive day, people are entitled to assemble for lawful protest, what he seems to have done is fallen foul of the hostile animus there.
‘He got caught up in it and realises that was a very wrong thing to do.’
Judge William Mousley KC told the court that Vetier’s wife could be seen in video footage shown to the court trying to ‘coax him away from his prominent position’.
Mr Martin responded: ‘She was supportive of him but she is the one left carrying the consequences of what her husband did.’
Sentencing Vetier, Judge Mousley said: ‘You were part of a group of 30 or more males causing public disorder on the Weymouth esplanade with members of the public not involved would have been nearby, holidaymakers and the like.
‘Police were trying to prevent that disorder from escalating, the group of which you were a member were loud, threatening, abusive and threatening including making racist remarks.
‘All that created a frightening atmosphere, violence was being threatened by the group. There was no lawful reason for the behaviour, doubtless some of it was fuelled by alcohol.’
He added: ‘It’s right to say you yourself did not use any violence towards the police or anyone else but your presence and your role served only as encouragement to others to do so.
‘You were prominent and remained at the front of the group for significant parts of the incident, you were shouting at police, abusive and threatening.’
Merseyside Police issued eight more images this afternoon of people who may have information following incidents of disorder in Merseyside.
Detective Chief Inspector Tony Roberts said: ‘As with previous images, we want to speak to all of those pictured as soon as possible, as we think they could assist our ongoing investigations into the incidents of disorder in Southport and Liverpool.
‘We are still working through footage and images as they come in and we’ll continue to deal with anyone identified, and ask the courts to do the necessary.
‘To date, we have arrested 74 people, and charged 42. There will be many more to come in the following days, weeks and months.
‘Please contact us with names and the corresponding number on the image and we will do the rest.’
We would encourage anyone with information to contact us via Public Portal (mipp.police.uk) or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.