Wigan man seen with ‘maniacal grin’ during Southport disorder is jailed

Christopher Beard was shown on footage “shouting”, “gesticulating” and throwing objects towards police officers at the front of a crowd which gathered outside a mosque in the Merseyside town on July 30, the day after three girls died in a knife attack, Liverpool Crown Court heard on Tuesday (September 3).

His jailing came on the same morning as two more Wigan men pleaded guilty to their involvement in the same disturbance while appearing at the adjacent magistrates’ court.

Louise McCloskey, prosecuting, said Beard, who pleaded guilty to violent disorder, was seen as police vehicles tried to move but were hit by the crowd.

She said: “The defendant is turning and laughing, with what can only be described as a maniacal grin, towards the crowd.”

He was seen piling wheelie bins on top of each other and throwing missiles towards the police, including a large piece of wood, the court heard.

Ms McCloskey said: “The defendant remains in the midst of the crowd, seemingly enjoying the chaos.”

Charles Lander, defending, said the 33-year-old has a 12-week-old daughter and is about to become a grandfather as his older child, aged 19, is expecting a baby in December.

He said Beard, of Stewart Road, Hawkley Hall, had been working in the area and had gone to “show some respect”.

He has since lost his job, the court heard.

Sentencing, Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC said: “It is no mitigation at all to say you, or some of you, went simply to pay your respects. That lies ill in the mouth of any of you, given your subsequent behaviour.”

He added: “There’s footage of you literally building a bonfire in the middle of the road, pulling wheelie bins on top of each other.”

Beard is the third Wigan man to be jailed for involvement in the Southport disturbances.

Tommy Callaghan, 32, of Platt Bridge, was last month put behind bars for two years and two months after being caught on film throwing a brick at police.

And 26-year-old Dylan Carey, from Castle Hill Road in Hindley, was imprisoned for 18 months for throwing missiles and kicking a police car.

Meanwhile two more men have appeared before Liverpool magistrates to plead guilty to the same charges.

Paul Harrison, 30, of Warrington Road, Abram, and Jordan Gibson, 33, of Whelley, were making their first appearances in a court but immediately admitted to violent disorder in Southport on July 30.

Both were remanded in custody until they are sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on September 9.

Two Wigan teenagers have also been charged with violent disorder in relation to disturbances in Bolton town centre on August 4.

A 16-year-old from Whelley has admitted to the offence by terrorising people and smashing a shop front and door. He is due to be sentenced by Manchester magistrates on September 17.

And a Wigan 16-year-old has appeared at the same court charged with violent disorder after allegedly wielding a metal bar and damaging a shop door. He has yet to enter a plea and will reappear before justices on September 9.