Warrant issued for Harehills disorder thug who has fled UK, Leeds court told
A man who was due to be sentenced for his part in the Harehills disorder has left the UK, court heard.
Laurentiu Dragusan previously admitted violent disorder stemming from the trouble in July last year.
The 25-year-old, of Harehills Lane, was due to be sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on Friday, but did not turn up.
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His defence barrister, Andrew Petterson, told the court that he had word from Dragusan than he had returned to Romania because of a family bereavement and said he would return to Leeds “in a few weeks”.
But the the judge, Recorder Guy Kearl KC, said there was no documentation or other evidence offered to support the defendant’s claim, so issued a warrant for his arrest.
Dragusan was part of the mob violence that swept across Harehills on the night of July 18, 2024.
The trouble was sparked by an incident on Luxor Street at around 5pm as social workers attempted to take children into care over safeguarding issues.
It caused a scene and drew a 100-plus crowd, forcing the police to attend.
But the matter escalated, missiles were thrown towards the police and a police car was overturned.
The number of people in attendance swelled and police were pelted with missiles as the trouble spread to the surrounding roads, most notably on Harehills Lane.
A bus was stopped and torched by thugs, goaded by hundreds of others, filmed on mobile phones by many and loaded to social media.
Around 25 people have been convicted so far, with most receiving jail sentences.
The police are continuing to prosecute those involved and recently released images of those they still wish to speak with.