Haulage company boss Ricky Hardman has been sentenced to two years and eight months in prison for his involvement in violent disorder during recent riots outside a hotel housing asylum seekers near Rotherham. The sentencing took place at Sheffield Crown Court, where it was revealed that Hardman was arrested after being photographed holding a large plank of wood during the chaos in Manvers on Sunday, August 4.
Hardman, a resident of Norfolk Road, Barnsley, admitted to police that he had “got caught up in the day” and “probably gone too far.” However, officers reported that he showed no remorse for his actions, instead claiming he “came worse off than any officer” after suffering a minor hand injury from a baton strike.
In court, a video was shown depicting Hardman as part of a group attacking a police dog van outside the Holiday Inn Express. The footage showed him kicking the van, which was blocked by protesters lying in front of it. He was also seen with a group of men who violently rocked the vehicle before it eventually drove away.
Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, the Recorder of Sheffield, described the event as “major civil disorder” caused by “an ignorant mob” in which Hardman played a role. He noted that over 50 police officers were injured during the violence and condemned the incident as part of a broader pattern of national unrest fuelled by malicious social media users. The judge emphasized the racist nature of the disorder, calling it “extremely frightening for anyone who was there.”
During sentencing, Hardman, who was accompanied by a security guard, was watched by his family from the public gallery. In addition to his prison term, he was issued a 10-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) and ordered to pay £228 in fees. The CBO restricts him from gathering in public with more than two people if it could cause distress, alarm, or fear.
Detective Chief Inspector Ben Wood, the senior investigating officer, praised the officers for their conduct during the challenging situation. He noted that while mobs tried to provoke the police, the officers remained composed and professional. He added that those who believed they would escape consequences for their actions, like Hardman, were mistaken, as arrests continue to be made.
Richard Davies, Hardman’s defence attorney, told the court that his client is “ashamed” of his behaviour and the impact it will have on his family. Davies explained that Hardman did not intend to engage in violence but got “carried away” by the situation and acknowledged that he has “only got himself to blame.”
The riots were reportedly sparked by false information circulated on social media about the murder of three young girls at a dance class in Southport on July 29. Far-right groups exploited this misinformation to organize anti-migrant and anti-Islam protests, which escalated into riots across the UK.
