British court sentences 2 men for role in 'lawless' Liverpool mob

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) — Two men have been handed 32-month prison sentences at Liverpool Crown Court after pleading guilty to charges related to violent disorder.

John O’Malley, 43, and William Nelson Morgan, 69, were found to have been part of what Judge Andrew Menary described as a "large and utterly lawless mob" involved in unrest that erupted on Merseyside last week.

O’Malley, who has two previous convictions, including a recent assault by beating, received a 32-month sentence for his role in the disorder.

Morgan, who was also sentenced to 32 months, received an additional concurrent sentence of six months for possession of a wooden baton as an offensive weapon.

During the sentencing, Menary expressed his condemnation of the events, highlighting how the chaos was fueled by false information circulating on social media and in printed leaflets.

The judge said the false reports exploited the stabbing of three young girls in the town of Southport, spreading baseless claims about the nationality, ethnicity, and religion of the alleged attacker.

Menary stated that this misinformation was used as a pretext for widespread violence, intimidation, and damage.

"There were those who saw the deaths by stabbing of three girls in Southport as an opportunity to sow division and hatred," he said in court.

"Of course, all of that was complete nonsense. But from that point on, it has been used as a pretext for widespread violence, intimidation, and damage."

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to chair another Cobra emergency response committee meeting, reaffirming his commitment to intensifying the government's crackdown on far-right rioters.

Starmer will engage in further crisis talks with senior police officers, despite the fact that last night's planned gatherings did not occur.