Man threw brick at taxi during Middlesbrough riot believing it likely belonged to a Muslimhttps://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/tees ... g-33763446
A man threw a brick at a taxi during the Middlesbrough riot after believing it likely belonged to a Muslim. Philip Adams, 33, travelled to Teesside from his hometown of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, to take part in the planned protest on August 4, 2024.
Emma Atkinson, prosecuting, told Teesside Crown Court heard how the march was initially peaceful but then "took a turn". She said chants such as 'Take our country back' were heard and police lines were put in place.
The protest then escalated into violence, items were thrown and vehicles were damaged. There 320 police officers were deployed in the town that day. Ms Atkinson told the court in Middlesbrough how Adams, who was wearing his hood up and sunglasses, threw a brick through a taxi window on a central Middlesbrough street.
The court heard how the vehicle belonged to a British Pakistani, who had his own taxi business. It had already been targeted by someone else and the damage cost him £1,550 to repair.
Ms Atkinson said: "He said he'd heard about the protest and had driven up from Harrogate to take part with his friend. He admitted working as a courier and a taxi driver and that he did believe that the vehicle would most likely belong to a Muslim.
"He said he instantly regretted it. He didn't consider himself a racist but a patriot." Adams, of Hazel Drive, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, admitted racially aggravated criminal damage.
Andrew Turton, defending, told the court that Adams does not consider himself a racist and had employed Muslim taxi drivers himself. He said: "It was a moment of madness in what was, for him, a peaceful march which resulted in him copying the actions of another person to break a second window in the taxi - which he predicted may have been in the ownership of a Muslim person."
Mr Turton said Adams described, in his report, the frustration he felt, not only as a result of the horrific incident in Southport, but also the Uber Taxi driving company which had the affect of reducing his business and almost putting him out of business all together. He said: "It was that perhaps in the forefront of his mind, on the day in question, rather than any racist element that he had.
"He expressed that he may have been influenced, over a period of time, by right wing media and material which he understood now had a negative impact upon him and potentially his behaviour and views."
Mr Turton said Adams has since "gone down the route of the Freemasons to try and make himself a better person".
Judge Richard Clews told Adams: "The entire incident that took place that day was ugly and it should not have been. Obviously everybody has a right to a peaceful protest but it must remain peaceful and within the law.
"That means no threats, no violence, no intimidation or anything like that. Everybody who is in the country, whether they are here legally or not, are entitled to the protection of the law.
"This was a single act - you throwing a missile at a car when you must have either known, or realised, it was likely to be an vehicle owned or operated by someone from the ethnic minority. Someone else also damaged that car. Therefore the total damage caused to it wasn't caused by you, only some of it was."
The judge sentenced Adams to three months in prison suspended for 12 months. He ordered him to complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days, 75 hours of unpaid work and pay £500 in compensation and £500 costs.
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