Birley jailed for nine yearspublished at 12:45 British Summer TimeBreaking
Oli Constable
Reporting from Sheffield Crown Court
Birley has been jailed for nine years for taking part in a riot in Rotherham on 4 August – the highest prison sentence handed out by judges following widespread violence and rioting.
He was part of a group which helped smash windows at the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers and added wood to a fire against the building, which housed asylum seekers.
Birley, 27, of Swinton, Rotherham, previously pleaded guilty to a charge of arson with intent to endanger life, violent disorder, and possessing an offensive weapon.
At Sheffield Crown Court, the Recorder of Sheffield Judge Jeremy Richardson KC said: “You are unquestionably a dangerous offender.”
His sentence is nine years in prison, with a five-year extension on licence.