morning briefing: Who was jailed for the riots?

Welcome to the early edition of Friday of i.

There were tears and remorse in the dock this week as fast-track courts handed out swift and harsh sentences to those found guilty of taking part in riots across the country. Some offenders have been arrested, charged and jailed within 72 hours of committing an offence, the Crown Prosecution Service said. Several defendants wept as they learned they would be held in jail until their next hearing, while others revealed how their actions have already cost them their jobs. Hundreds of people have been arrested and around 150 charged over the violent disorder, much of it fuelled by misinformation about the Southport stabbings. Some of the sentences handed down so far have been harsh, with some facing more than two years in prison. But the tough measures come at a time when the justice system – and prisons in particular – are at a crisis point. Can they cope? We’ll find out, after the headlines.

Today’s News and Why It Matters

 Key military figures have demanded answers from the Ministry of Defence over budget cuts after a confidential letter was leaked to the Ministry of Defence.. On Wednesday i revealed that defense contractors had been given 36 hours to come up with “high-value, significant ideas” for cost savings.

Police will significantly increase their presence at several football matches this weekend amid fears that far-right groups linked to hooligan gangs could cause disorder and violence, i has learned.

Katie Price has been arrested at Heathrow Airport after failing to appear in court. Price, 46, from Surrey, was arrested at the airport upon returning to the UK.

A Labour councillor has been arrested on suspicion of ‘encouraging murder’ following a demonstration in Walthamstow, north-east London. Wednesday night. Ricky Jones, a councillor in Dartford, Kent, was suspended by the Labour Party after a video circulated on social media showing a man telling a crowd that far-right protesters should have their throats slit.

Ed Balls’ interview with his wife, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, on ITV’s Good morning Great Britain (GMB) was a “terrible misunderstanding” that must be investigated, leading broadcasting figures have said. Media regulator Ofcom has received more than 8,000 complaints after the former Labour minister questioned his wife on live TV about the violent disorder on the streets in the UK.

Three questions about the riots and the legal system:

What punishments were imposed? The longest jail sentence handed down so far is three years. Derek Drummond, 58, who punched a police officer in the face during riots in Southport, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assaulting an emergency worker. The court heard Drummond said: “I’m a fool” after losing his job and handing himself in to police following a public appeal. “I’m so ashamed of how I acted. I let Southport down, I let the children down, I let my family down,” he had previously told police. A number of other rioters were given sentences of 30 months or more. Alongside Drummond were Declan Geiran and Liam James Riley, who were jailed for 30 months and 20 months respectively after also admitting violent disorder following riots in Liverpool city centre. Yesterday, retired welder William Nelson Morgan, 69, was jailed for 32 months at Liverpool Crown Court for violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon, making him the oldest person to be sentenced to life in prison. Body camera footage showed the widower telling officers to get off him as they tried to arrest him. At one point he said: “I’m f**king 70” and an officer replied: “Well then why are you at the f**king riot?” Sentencing him, Liverpool registrar Judge Andrew Menary KC said: “Your advanced age clearly did not deter you from taking an active part in a riot on County Road.” Read the full story here. In Hartlepool, former postmaster and school governor Steven Mailen, 54, and his partner Ryan Sheers, 29, were each jailed for two years and two months at Teesside Crown Court. At the same court, Bobby Shirbon was jailed for 20 months after joining riots in Hartlepool while celebrating his 18th birthday. In Liverpool, two men were jailed for two years and eight months after admitting violent disorder. John O’Malley, 43, was identified from footage of the violence in St Luke’s Road, Southport, on July 30, while two brothers who ransacked a library centre that had been set on fire were also jailed. Serial criminal Adam Wharton was jailed for 20 months and Ellis Wharton, who has no previous convictions, was jailed for 11 months. In Plymouth, Michael Williams, 51, and Daniel McGuire, 45, were jailed for 32 months and 26 months respectively for their roles in the violence. The judge described them as “thugs” who had “added oxygen to the fire of disorder”. An anti-fascist protester who was involved in the disorder, Lucas Ormond Skeaping, was also jailed for 18 months. The judge accepted that the 29-year-old “came to protest and to do so peacefully” but said “things quickly deteriorated”. He was arrested after pushing a 17-year-old boy wearing a motorbike helmet off his bike. Separate footage also showed him throwing a brick and a bottle. His lawyer said the defendant was “against fascism”, had no previous convictions and that his ADHD “may partly explain his impulsive behaviour”. He also lost his job at a bike company as a result of his involvement. Read more about those facing charges here.

Can the legal system handle this? The response to the 2011 riots, which saw 1,400 people jailed, is “simply not possible today”, according to a senior researcher at the Institute for Government. “Far fewer criminal lawyers, judges and magistrates means courts are dealing with fewer cases. The backlog of cases is twice as large as it was then. There are now, despite the opening of new prisons, fewer total prison spaces and an acute capacity crisis.” Prison governors and lawyers have also said i that speedy justice tactics would overwhelm the system. Criminal lawyers say there is “no capacity” and not enough lawyers to run 24-hour courts. This week the government announced that more than 500 new prisons would be opened in the next month, as Downing Street insisted there would be enough free cells to “hold everyone involved in the riots”. But Carl Davies, vice-chairman of the Prison Governors’ Association, is concerned that the new places, mainly at two prisons in Kent and Rutland, will not address the problem because they will not be ready in time and are not in the places where the riots took place. He said that speeding up the trials of rioters would only make the problem worse: “If we were to see the same number of people coming into custody at the same rate as during the 2011 riots which were overwhelming us, we would struggle.” Read the full article here.

What can we expect today? It is likely that more severe sentences will be announced, possibly including for far-right activists who stirred up unrest online rather than taking part in person on the streets. Sentencing will be decided at Leeds Crown Court, where the four defendants’ cases are being broadcast live on TV, and also at crown courts in Newcastle, Teesside, Liverpool, Sheffield, Northampton, Inner London and Llandudno Magistrates’ Court. As of Thursday evening, 483 people had been arrested in connection with the violence and 149 charges had been laid. Read more here.

All over the world

 Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have agreed to a televised debate on September 10, the ABC network announced. ending speculation about whether the Republican would participate. During a lengthy press conference at his Palm Beach residence on Thursday, Trump also said he wanted additional debates on Sept. 4 and Sept. 25 that would air on Fox and NBC.

Ukrainian troops have advanced further into Russian territory in a daring offensive that has caused widespread concern among Russian military correspondents, However, doubts remain about the mission’s objectives, amid fears it could leave other parts of the front line vulnerable.

How Gen Z protesters toppled a government – ​​even without the internet. Young people have changed the political landscape in Bangladesh and are no longer allowing their future to be determined by the country’s past.

One of the suspects planning to attack Taylor Swift’s now-cancelled concerts planned to use knives and explosives to kill as many people as possibleofficials said. On Wednesday, authorities arrested two people on suspicion of planning Islamist attacks on major events in the Austrian capital.

Thoughts for the day

 The Tories’ Robert Jenrick conundrum. Is this conversion to Damascus real, asks Sebastian Payne.

We’ve all had enough of Ed Balls. According to Eliot Wilson, this was a completely avoidable riot.

Tradwifery is not a trend, but the reality for many Asian women. For my female relatives, housework is not a luxury choice. It is routine and makes them unhappy, explains Pranjali Hasotkar.

Culture break

 ‘She Talked About Her Want to Have Children’: The Real Janis Joplin, According to Her Siblings The first female rock star and legendary musician will be honored this August at the Peacock Theatre.

The big lecture

 Hollowed-out Tories at risk – but can Trump help them avoid extinction? Given the “very old” activists and the existential threat to reform, one pollster thinks a Republican victory in the U.S. presidential election could give conservatives a boost, reports Hugo Gye.

Sport

 How Noah Lyles Kept His Covid Diagnosis a Secret Until He Won Olympic Bronze The fastest man in the world contracted corona during the Olympic Games and tested positive two days before his 200 meter final.

Something to brighten up your day

 20 Summer Vacation Habits Health Experts Swear By From tracking your sleep schedule to packing for comfort, wellness experts share their tips for a smooth season.