Four sentenced after post-demo pub violence

Mark Johnson (34), from Huddersfield, Derek Henphill (47), from Huddersfield, Adam Storey (32), from Frecheville, Sheffield, and Hayley Ellis (36), from Leeds, appeared at Sheffield Crown Court last Friday to be sentenced.

Johnson, Henphill and Storey all pleaded guilty to charges of affray at earlier hearings.

Johnson and Henphill were both jailed for 12 months and one day. Storey was given a 12-month community order, and was ordered to carry out 60 hours unpaid work and pay £300 compensation to the pub.  

Ellis admitted an offence under Section 4 of the Public Order Act. She was given a 12-month community order, and was ordered to carry out 40 hours unpaid work and pay £200 compensation.  

On Saturday May 10 2014, the English Defence League marched in Rotherham town centre and United Against Fascism held a counter demonstration.

Following this, a number of individuals from both groups travelled to Sheffield city centre.

At around 3.45pm, police were called to a disturbance at the Howard pub in Howard Street, Sheffield, where a group of people were fighting and causing damage.

Hemphill was arrested at the scene by officers and a police investigation began.

In the following months, Johnson, Storey, Ellis and a number of others were arrested.

The four were charged in September 2014.

Investigating officer PC Chris Wright from Rotherham said: “The sentencing marks the culmination of a lengthy investigation into violent disorder and I am pleased with the result.

“Even though the demonstration in Rotherham concluded peacefully, a group of individuals seemed intent on violent disorder.

“These four endangered the safety of members of the public who were enjoying a drink in a  Sheffield pub that day. It is lucky that nobody was seriously injured as a result of their reckless actions.

“I hope this case serves as a warning to those individuals who seek to engage in violent disorder that we will not tolerate this behaviour.”