Levi Fishlock has been sentenced to nine years in prison after playing a prominent role in the violent attack on a hotel housing about 200 asylum seekers in Rotherham. The sentence, one of the longest in connection with the UK’s summer riots, also includes a five-year licence period after release.
Fishlock, 31, from Barnsley, was part of a mob that gathered outside the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers, Rotherham, on 4 August 2023. The disorder, which was fueled by hatred and racism, saw Fishlock smash windows and stoke a flaming bin outside the hotel. He initially denied charges of violent disorder and arson with intent to endanger life but later pleaded guilty.
Judge Jeremy Richardson KC described Fishlock’s actions as one of the worst cases stemming from the Rotherham riots, highlighting the violent nature of the attack and the terror it caused to hotel staff and asylum seekers. More than 60 police officers were injured as rioters, many armed with weapons, surrounded the hotel.
During the violence, security staff and residents were forced to hide in their rooms as police tried to restore order. Fishlock was captured on police footage wearing a purple T-shirt, which had the name “Bellingham” and the number 10 on the back. He threw bricks and broken paving slabs at the hotel’s windows and used fencing slats and metal poles as weapons against officers.
Fishlock also set fire to makeshift barricades and threatened those inside the hotel, wielding a sharp object while making aggressive gestures. Despite the chaos, Fishlock justified his actions, claiming it was for a “good cause,” even though the asylum seekers and hotel staff were trapped in the besieged building.
In court, Fishlock’s defense team revealed that he struggled with anxiety and depression, exacerbated by the death of his brother during his teenage years. His lawyer argued that Fishlock had genuine remorse for his actions, despite his role in the disorder.
Judge Richardson condemned Fishlock for his prominent participation in the racist violence, stating that the attack was driven by venomous racism. The judge emphasized that Fishlock, like many others involved, intended to spread a hateful message through violence.
Fishlock’s sentence is one of the longest in connection with the events that unfolded in Rotherham, where the violence left both police officers and residents in fear for their lives. Prosecutors hope that the sentence will serve as a strong warning to anyone contemplating participating in similar acts of disorder in the future.
With this conviction, Fishlock becomes the 80th person sentenced for their involvement in the riots around the hotel, with the Crown Prosecution Service emphasizing the significance of the sentence in the fight against violent extremism and hate crimes.