Courts braced for overflow after UK riots

Judges in Britain were preparing to sit overnight and at weekends to prevent courts being overwhelmed by an influx of suspects charged after the far-right riots sweeping the country.

Riot police face protesters in Bristol on Saturday during an 'Enough is Enough' demonstration. Picture: AFP

Judges in Britain were preparing to sit overnight and at weekends to prevent courts being overwhelmed by an influx of suspects charged after the far-right riots sweeping the country.

The plans are similar to measures implemented during the demonstrations and looting of 2011, which began in London and spread across England.

Protests throughout the weekend descended into violence in the north and southwest of England and Northern Ireland, resulting in dozens of arrests and more police injured. There had been chaos last week in Sunderland, and in Southport, the town where young children and adults had been stabbed, three fatally, at a Taylor Swift dance class. The tragedy has been hijacked by the far right.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a call on Saturday from the Prime Minister’s country residence, Chequers, with key ministers to discuss the latest unrest.

Speaking afterwards, Home Secretary Yvette Coope said: “We’ve been clear to the police that they have our full backing in taking the strongest possible action against perpetrators, including making sure that there are more prosecutors, there are sufficient prison places and also that the courts stand ready.

Police in riot gear gesture with batons during protests in Liverpool on Saturday. Picture: AFP

“Anyone who engages in this kind of disorder needs to be clear that they will pay the price.”

Demonstrators threw chairs, flares and bricks at police in the northwestern English city of Liverpool, while scuffles between police and protesters broke out in nearby Manchester. Merseyside Police said “a number of officers have been injured as they deal with serious disorder” in Liverpool city centre.

Far-right protests descended into violence in Liverpool, Stoke-on-Trent, Hull, Belfast, Blackpool, Leeds and Bristol.

At least 20 people were arrested between Friday and Saturday night.

Four police officers were injured in Sunderland, three in Hull, and more in Liverpool.

The riots were fuelled by false rumours on social media about the background of British-born 17-year-old suspect Axel Rudakubana, charged with several counts of murder and attempted murder over the stabbing attack last Monday.

Riot police are confronted by far-right activists in Sunderland. Picture: Getty Images

Far-right agitator Tommy Robinson continued to stoke tensions in Britain despite being more than 1500km away on holiday.

Senior Conservative Party MP Priti Patel said parliament should be recalled, while fellow Tory leadership contender James Cleverly said Sir Keir should haul in tech companies over misinformation on their platforms.

Contingency plans are being rapidly pulled together by government and law enforcement agencies, amid fears that Britain was heading for violent disorder on a scale last seen during the 2011 riots triggered by the police shooting of Mark Duggan, a black man, in north London.

Sources have confirmed the blueprint now being drawn up includes the “additional courts protocol”, which can be deployed in response to an unexpected surge in criminal cases caused by a significant incident.

It would enable judges to direct magistrates’ courts to extend their sitting hours, including overnight and during weekends. It would also provide additional capacity should police forces begin arresting hundreds of protesters, ensuring they could be brought before the courts as quickly as possible.

Police chiefs are concerned that, otherwise, suspects charged with rioting or violent disorder could still engage in further demonstrations before their hearings and a bail decision is made.

Sir Keir announced on Thursday that he had established a new violent disorder unit to enable police forces to pull together intelligence and resources to help stamp out unrest led by far-right “thugs”.

The Sunday Times