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A man wearing an England shirt who looted cosmetics chain Lush during riots in Hull has pleaded guilty to violent disorder, burglary and racially aggravated criminal damage.
John Honey, 25, admitted three charges of burglary at Lush, the O2 store and Shoezone in the city on August 3.
He also pleaded guilty to the racially aggravated criminal damage of a BMW and damaging nine other cars.
Judge John Thackray KC, the Recorder of Hull, said he hoped to be able to sentence Honey later on Tuesday.
Pictures and video shared widely on social media showed Honey entering various stores during the riots in Hull that left 11 police officers injured.
His distinctive St George’s Cross rugby shirt and lack of any face covering meant that he was easily identifiable.
It comes as dozens more people are expected to appear in court on Tuesday after the violent disorder last week.
As of Monday, 975 people had been arrested and 546 charged in the wake of the disorder, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said.
According to the Crown Prosecution Service, as of Monday, 273 people have been charged in relation to the disorder.
The NPCC figure is higher to reflect charges which are solely issued by police and do not involve the CPS.
The government has admitted that rioters will not be excluded from its plans to release some inmates from jail early, with some serving 40 per cent of their sentence.
It comes after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer repeatedly warned those involved in the violence they will feel the “full force of the law”.
Conservative shadow justice secretary Edward Argar said those convicted after the disorder should face “tough sentences” and it was “deeply concerning” they could “benefit from less time spent behind bars” as he called for the Government to “urgently review” its plans to release prisoners early.
Last month Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced plans to cut the proportion of the sentence inmates must serve behind bars from 50% to 40%.
The temporary move – which does not apply to those convicted of sex offences, terrorism, domestic abuse or some violent offences – is expected to result in 5,500 offenders being released in September and October.
MPs have already approved the laws allowing the plan to be put into action and any changes could require updating the legislation in a short space of time if additional exemptions were to be included.
Asked whether the scheme will be changed to exclude those involved in unrest across the UK over recent weeks, a Number 10 spokeswoman said the early release of prisoners will be based on the sentence they have been given.
“There’s no specific exclusion for the rioters, the scheme is as previously set out by the Justice Secretary.
“Also, we’re very clear that those who are convicted of serious violence and serve sentences of four years and over, or a terrorism offence, will be excluded,” she said.
Mr Argar said: “Those convicted of offences linked to the recent disorder, including violence against the police and others in our communities, should face tough sentences.
“It is deeply concerning that, despite a senior minister at the weekend saying the opposite, it now appears that people sentenced to prison for these crimes will not be exempt from Labour’s prisoner early release scheme, and will therefore likely benefit from less time spent behind bars.
“The Government needs to urgently review its prisoner early release scheme, and its exemptions, and respond to understandable public concerns following recent events.”
Source: independent.co.uk
