A man who tried to set fire to a hotel hosting asylum seekers has been jailed for nine years, the longest prison sentence ever given in connection with the UK's summer riots.
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Levi Fishlock smashed windows and set fire to a bin at the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers, Rotherham, during a series of disturbances on 4 August.
Fishlock, 31, of Sheffield Road, Barnsley, initially denied violent disorder and arson with intent to endanger life, but later pleaded guilty to the charges.
Jailing, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, the Registrar of Sheffield, said: "This is one of the worst cases of its kind to arise from the Rotherham troubles."
Fishlock's sentence, which also includes a five-year parole period after his release from prison, is the same as Thomas Birley, who was also part of the mob, some of whose members attempted to burn down the hotel in South Yorkshire.58f0db50-b87c-11ef-9b54-edc811e341cb.jpg.webp
During the two-day hearing at Sheffield Crown Court, the court was told Fishlock was wearing a "highly identifiable" purple T-shirt as he smashed the hotel's windows and threw bricks and broken floorboards. Fishlock told the arresting officers that the missile launch and shooting was for a "good cause," despite the fact that about 200 asylum seekers and hotel staff were trapped in the besieged building.
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