Middlesbrough Riot Case Dropped: Violent Disorder Charge Denied
A man accused of violent disorder during the summer riots in Middlesbrough will not face any further action, according to a recent update from Teesside Crown Court. Christopher Howard, who had denied the offense, was acquitted due to a lack of evidence, including the absence of any footage showing his involvement in the disorder.
Prosecutor Rachel Masters informed the court that there was no realistic chance of convicting Mr. Howard, leading to the decision to drop the case against him. Three other men, Kaleb Peacock-Lightfoot, Joseph McKenzie, and Anthony Brown, are currently on trial, also denying charges of violent disorder.
The courtroom heard details of the unrest that unfolded following an afternoon protest at the town’s cenotaph. Witnesses described Mr. McKenzie as being at the forefront of the disorder, hurling expletives and projectiles at the police. Meanwhile, Mr. Brown is accused of assaulting an emergency worker by hitting a police officer with a bicycle during the chaos.
Despite the allegations, defense lawyers have cast doubt on the evidence presented, with Gary Wood arguing that the footage did not conclusively show Mr. Brown striking the officer with the bike. Similarly, Lee Goodchild questioned whether Mr. Peacock-Lightfoot had actually thrown missiles at the police, bringing the reliability of the prosecution’s claims into question.
The trial, which is the first of its kind related to the North East riots, is expected to last for five days as the jury carefully considers the evidence presented. Stay tuned for further updates from Teesside Crown Court, and feel free to send any story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. Stay in the loop by following BBC Tees on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
