Twelve due in court over Wellgate trouble

ELEVEN men and a youth charged with violent offences following a confrontation in Rotherham town centre two months ago are due to appear at court this afternoon.

Eleven of the defendants expected before magistrates in Rotherham are accused of committing violent disorder in the Wellgate area on September 5, while a twelfth is charged with possessing an offensive weapon.

Trouble flared when a group of mostly Asian men confronted mainly white men outside the William Fry pub on an afternoon when a British First-led demonstration and a counter-rally led by United Against Fascism had both taken place.

The men due to appear today charged with violent disorder are Mahroof Sultan (36) of Grosvenor Road, Mohammed Saleem (43) of Mount Street, Haseeb Alam (18) of Selwyn Street, Arshad Khan (44) of Wellgate Mount, Abrar Javid (37) of St Johns Road, Sadaqat Ali (39) of Milton Road, Shaban Ditta (31) of Cambridge Crescent, Akaash Nazir (21) of Cow Rakes Lane, Imran Iqbal (29) of Clough Road and Nasrum Rashid (21) of Fraser Road.

Asif Zaman (47) of Wellgate Mount has been charged with possession of an offensive weapon, while a 17-year-old who cannot be named is also accused of violent disorder.

Three other Rotherham man — Daniel Lee Luty (19) of Redshank Road, Henry Mark Fisher (20) of Rockingham Road, and John James Sheridan (25) of Henly Way — and four from West Yorkshire — David Ashley Woodward (47) of Sowerby Bridge, Andrew Thomas Gary Fox (47) of Halifax Dennis Farrell (30) of Halifax and Reece McLaren (20) of Golcar — are also charged with violent disorder and are due to appear at a later date.