12-year-old boy becomes youngest to be sentenced for UK riots

A 12-year-old boy has become the youngest person to be sentenced in connection with the far-right riots that swept across England this summer.

The boy, who cannot be named due to his age, admitted to charges of violent disorder for throwing stones at police during unrest in Southport on 31 July, according to a report by the Associated Press.

The violence erupted outside a mosque shortly after a stabbing incident at a local dance class, which left three young girls dead. False rumours spread online suggesting the attacker was an asylum seeker, fueling the unrest.

The UK has been experiencing a wave of violent unrest since July 30, sparked by misinformation online about a knife attack that killed three children. Protesters, fueled by far-right activists, targeted a mosque in Southport, where the attack occurred, and the violence quickly spread across the country

Sentencing the boy on Tuesday, District Judge Wendy Lloyd imposed a three-month curfew and a 12-month referral order, requiring him to participate in a rehabilitation programme.

“It was an angry mob, and you chose to be part of it,” the judge told him, adding that the riots had “shaken society to the core” as reported by AP.

The boy was among a crowd of rioters who attempted to storm the Southport Islamic Society Mosque and set fire to a police van.

Although the violence quickly spread to other towns and cities across the country, it eventually subsided following swift arrests and prosecutions. So far, police have made over 1,000 arrests and charged more than 800 individuals.

(with inputs from AP)

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