Leeds rioter who threw fireworks during Harehills Bonfire Night trouble finally jailed five years on

Costel Fanu was handed a 30-month jail sentence at Leeds Crown Court this week for his part in the trouble that engulfed the community on November 5, 2019.

The 27-year-old was picked out from police footage taken from that night, but he fled shortly afterwards, returning to his home country of Romania.

He was finally arrested last year in the UK. The large-scale disorder saw police being pelted with missiles with makeshift barriers being set up and fires lit on Harehills Lane. The damage ran to £200,000 and several police officers were injured.

Several others have since been brought to justice for their part, some of which were as young as 15.

Fanu, who was 22 at the time, was identified by his distinctive zip-up bomber jacket he was wearing that night.

During the five-hour chaos, he was first seen throwing a missile towards police. He was then seen carrying a brick, then rocket fireworks in each hand, one of which he threw into a fire burning in the middle of the road.

He was then seen with a scarf covering the lower half of his face throwing four missiles towards the police and half a brick.

Fanu, now of Arundel Road, Hounslow, London, was also seen posing for pictures with others, congratulating each other on what they were doing, prosecutor Richard Holland told the court. He admitted a charge of violent disorder. 

Mitigating, Timothy Jacobs said Fanu was a "different man that he was five years ago", conceding he had problems with drugs.

He said his family assisted him in returning to Romania to get clean, and he returned to the UK. He said he was now in employment, has become a father and is expecting another child.

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Mr Jacobs said: "The last five years have seen a significant change for the better. What took place on November 5, 2019, is a constant source of shame."

Mr Jacobs said Fanu was not aware he was wanted by the police, but Judge Simon Batiste refuted the comment, suggesting Fanu knew the police were rounding up those involved.

Judge Batiste told Fanu: "Bonfire Night should be a time for families, children and fun. You and a large number of others instead decided to use this as an excuse for violence and destruction.

"This was serious and sustained large-scale public disorder. You posed for pictures glorifying what you had done with others.

"People must understand if they involve themselves in such large-scale disorder, significant sentences will follow."