Quote Originally Posted by UlleyMiller View Post
He pushed a police officer and shouted 'scum' at them. It didn't justify a stretch inside, but as with any of those taking part, they had a good idea what was likely to happen, given the general mood in many places and what had unfolded the previous four nights in other towns. It was an absolutely awful set of decisions he made, but it should have never landed him in prison.

Starmer's response wasn't particularly good, but his options were limited. Too heavy handed with a response and it's a police state, too soft and it's the "same old soft left". I wouldn't have wanted any part of the management of what happened, and I'd wager barely anyone else would be comfortable to put themselves up for a situation like that - especially with political trolls like Tice in the wings, and far right groups manipulating bored football hooligans.
He was convicted of violent disorder, which is an offence committed in the following way:

Where 3 or more persons who are present together use or threaten unlawful violence and the conduct of them (taken together) is such as would cause a person of reasonable firmness present at the scene to fear for his personal safety, each of the persons using or threatening unlawful violence is guilty of violent disorder (section 2(1) Public Order Act 1986).

The use of the words 'taken together' in the defintion is crucial here. He didn't just push a police officer and shouted scum, he pushed a police officer and shouted scum as part of a mob that threw missiles at officers, shouted threats and abuse, caused damage and set fires both within and outside the hotel.

The court had no option other than to send Lynch to prison, both because of the gravity of violent disorder and because of the guidance given by the Court of Appeal in cases arising from the riots in 2011, which made it clear than an immediate and lengthy sentence should follow for persons convicted of involvement in large scale disturbances.

The 2011 riots involved a lot of black defendants. I can't remember the right getting upset about the punitive sentences that followed. Funny that.

I'm not sure why Starmer gets the blame for Lynch's death. It was Lynch who involved himself in the mob and a court that sent him down in accordance with the relevant guidance. The notion that anyone would plead guilty to violent disorder to get an 'easy time' is comical.