his latest crime had been a "moment of madness"
A man who carried out a “ferocious” attack during a protest has been sentenced to 14 months’ detention.
Amjad Ali was dressed in black and wore a balaclava during the protests in Northampton on August 7, 2024.
It came as approximately 150 people gathered in the town as part of a protest described by police as peaceful.
The 19-year-old, who was part of a counter-protesting group, admitted affray and was sentenced.
Judge Adrienne Lucking KC said Ali had been involved in a disorder with men of “paramilitary-style appearance”.
It was reported that at around 7 pm that day, he punched a man in the face and aimed a “ferocious” kick at another person’s head.
Northampton Crown Court heard Ali had previously been convicted for possession of ammonia in a public place and dealing heroin and crack cocaine.
The judge ordered Ali to consecutively serve a year of a suspended sentence imposed for those previous offences.
Ali’s barrister said his latest crime had been a “moment of madness”, but the judge said the offending warranted “immediate and substantial punishment”.
Ms Lucking said: “Your offending must be seen in the context of the widespread and extensively reported scenes of disorder, violence and criminal damage which has taken place around the country.”
The riots across the UK have caused fear and Sir Keir Starmer stated that severe punishments would be handed out to rioters.
On August 9, 2024, Sameer Ali and Adnan Ghafoor were jailed for their involvement in violent clashes with far-right supporters in Leeds city centre.
It came after a protest outside Leeds Arts Gallery on the Headrow on August 3, 2024.
This included “pro-English Defence League” supporters, and counter-protestors.
Prosecutor Heather Gilmore said the protest was initially peaceful.
But at around 4:42 pm, a group of Asian males were walking along Great George Street when four males appeared, heading in the opposite direction.
CCTV footage showed verbal exchanges between the two groups before Ali threw punches at the nearest male.
During the violence, Ghafoor ran across the road and hit a male three times who was being held in a chokehold.
Ali and Ghafoor later handed themselves into the police station.
Ali received a 20-month prison sentence, while Ghafoor was sentenced to 30 months, which includes 18 months for the affray and an additional 12 months for breaching a suspended sentence he was already serving.
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