'Wanton violence, vandalism and destruction': Three people locked up over large scale Bonfire Night disturbance in Harehills in which police were injured by fireworks

Leeds Crown Court was shown shocking footage of lawless crowds running amok as police officers had fireworks deliberately aimed at them and they were pelted with bricks.

The disturbance on November 5, 2019, lasted around five hours and six police officers were injured.

The police investigation and damage to property cost the taxpayer close to £200,000.

A total of 39 people, both adults and youths, were arrested over the disorder and 13 were eventually charged.

The first three defendants, Georgia Walker, Zohaib Ahmed and Josh Smith, were sent to custody today (January 29) after pleading guilty to violent disorder.

Describing the incident, Judge Simon Batiste said: "Bonfire Night in normal circumstances is an occasion when people get to celebrate historical British events.

"It should be a time for families. For children. For fun.

"You and a large number of others instead used it as an excuse to indulge in wanton violence, vandalism and destruction.

"Anyone who has watched the CCTV could not be horrified or sickened by the way you and the crowd behaved.

"This was in my view very serious and sustained large scale public disorder."

Opening the case, prosecutor Tom Storey described how the incident took place in the Harehills area of Leeds on November 5, 2019.

Much of the disorder was in the vicinity of Harehills Road and Banstead Park.

The prosecutor said the incident lasted between four and five hours and involved the “indiscriminate discharge of fireworks”.

Waste bins and wheelie bin were set alight and pushed into the road.

Those involved in the disturbance erected makeshift barriers in the street.

Police attended the scene with riot equipment including shields and flame resistant overalls.

Mr Storey said: “There was a barrage of missiles thrown by those present, including bricks, bottles, stones and fireworks.”

Police established cordons along Harehills Road to gradually remove the barricades and arrest suspects.

The police officers also had to provide protection for firefighters who came under attack during the disorder.

Thousands of hours of footage was obtained of the incident from police body worn cameras and local CCTV footage.

Some suspects were arrested at the scene while others were traced as officers painstakingly went through the footage.

Damage was caused to local businesses.

Mr Storey said local community workers became aware of tensions between Halloween and Bonfire Night 2019.

On the night of the disorder the community workers tried to discourage those involved from setting wheelie bins on fire.

They were given orders to leave the area and police were contacted after it was considered too dangerous for them when people began aiming fireworks at them.

The prosecutor said: "It was apparent to community workers that tension was being fuelled by those not from the area and from different nationalities rather than from one particular nationality or ethnic group.

"Had the local youth workers not been so heavily involved the violence would have been more severe."

"Inevitable social media comments ascribing blame to groups or nationalities did little to calm relations in the area in the following weeks and months."

The court heard people travelled from other areas of the city to join in the disorder as word spread on social media.

Police officers were soon targeted when they arrived at the scene.

Mr Storey said fireworks were aimed at officers and there "resounding cheers" whenever one was struck by a firework.

Fireworks were also aimed at members of the public not involved in the disturbance.

One was aimed at a local resident as he left his house.

The firework "clipped" him on the head before going into his living room

Another firework was aimed into a William Hill betting shop, narrowly missing a man as he played on a gaming machine.

Four buses travelling through the area also came under attack.

A number 45 bus had to stop outside Thackray Medical Museum as the road was blocked by a blazing wheelie bin.

The bus contained frightened passengers including a wheelchair-bound man.

Police officers who went to clear the road for the bus came under a "hail of missiles."

Four windows on the bus were smashed.

Taxpayers were left with a bill of almost £200,000 to deal with the incident.

A total of 13 police vehicles were damaged, costing £52,000 to repair.

West Yorkshire Police also spent £74,000 in deploying extra officers to the incident.

An investigation in the aftermath of the disorder costs around £85,000.

The value of damage to buses was around £4,000 and Leeds City Council had to spend £7,760 to repair road surfaces.

Six officers were injured on the night.

One officer suffered whiplash injuries and concussion after being struck on the helmet by a missile.

The officer provided a statement to the court describing how he was physically and mentally exhausted after the incident.

Another officer said it was one of the most violent things he had witnessed in 23 years with the police.

Three defendants were sent to custody after pleading guilty to violent disorder.

Georgia Walker, 19, of Mexborough Grove, Chapeltown, was sent to a young offender institution for 18 months.

Walker was 17 at the time of the incident and was captured on police footage throwing rocks and bricks at police officers.

At one stage she was seen putting on a mask.

Zohaib Ahmed, 19, of St Wilfrid's Drive, Harehills, was sentenced to two years.

Ahmed was seen discharging fireworks at police officers on a number of occasions.

Josh Smith, 22, of Sutherland Road, Harehills, was jailed for 27 months.

He was seen causing trouble on a "regular basis" during the incident and was filmed setting bins alight

Three defendants failed to attend court for the sentencing hearing and arrest warrants were issued.

Nikolas Gasper, 18, Victoria Road, Keighley, had failed to attend a probation appointment and did not turn up for the hearing.

Tomotei Avadani, 20, of Seaforth Avenue, Harehills, also failed to attend the case.

The court heard that he did not see his solicitor after appearing before magistrates at an earlier hearing.

Leonard Gheorghe, 19, of Shepherds Place, Chapeltown, also failed to attend court.

Mr Storey said he had received information that the defendant had returned to Romania to see an ill family member.

Gheorghe is forbidden from leaving the UK as part of his bail conditions.

Other defendants are due to appear before the Youth Court on March 1 in relation to the case.