Men jailed for attacking anti-fascist group in Liverpool
- 26 September 2013
- From the section Liverpool
Six men have been jailed for an "unprovoked vicious attack" on an anti-fascist group in Liverpool.
The Crown Prosecution Service said the men, who "shared right-wing views", aimed to disrupt an anti-fascist benefit gig in Bold Street on 6 July.
Ahead of the concert, the men targeted a group of people walking along the road to the event, police said.
The men all pleaded guilty to violent disorder at an earlier hearing at Liverpool Crown Court.
The gang, believed to be affiliated to the North West Infidels, rushed towards the group throwing punches and kicks.
The violence then spilled into a cafe on the street before the group ran off.
A police inspector saw between eight and 10 men running off, and arrested one defendant as he attempted to vault a fence.
Two more were arrested shortly after, with others later arrested after CCTV of the area was studied.
The men were:
- Liam Pinkham, 24, of Victoria Road, Wallasey, sentenced to 17 months.
- Michael Kearns, 41, of Dovecot Avenue, Liverpool, sentenced to 14 months.
- Shane Calvert, 31, of Shetland Close, Blackburn, sentenced to 14 months.
- Peter Hawley, 53, of Alisa Road, Blackburn, sentenced to 13 months.
- Matthew Coates, 22, of New Place Lane, Southport, sentenced to 10 months.
- Steven Dumont, 18, of Rosewood Close, Liverpool, sentenced to five months.
A seventh man, Nathan Smith, 21, of Kingsway, Huyton, Liverpool, failed to appear at the court and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Det Con Mike Russell, of the North West Counter Terrorism Unit, said: "Not only did these men descend on the victims, but they carried out the attack in front of members of the public.
"They knew that there was a Unite Against Fascism benefit event taking place in the city centre that night and they specifically targeted their victims following various disputes between the two opposing groups."