Please see below from the Institute of Race Relations


> IRR EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER EXCESSIVE SENTENCING OF BRADFORD RIOTERS
>
> The riots that took place in Manningham, Bradford, over the weekend of 7
> July, 2001, caused over a million pounds worth of damage and left hundreds
> of police officers injured. Over the last year, 137 individuals have been
> charged with riot and a further 40 with violent disorder in relation to
> these incidents. To date, 115 convictions have resulted.
>
> The Institute of Race Relations has analysed 58 of these convictions for
> which information could be obtained. The cases reveal a huge discrepancy
in
> the sentences imposed against the Manningham rioters, most of whom are of
> Pakistani descent, and the sentences which have been brought in other
cases
> of civil disturbance in the UK, such as the recent riots in Belfast. The
> sentences are also out of proportion to those imposed in cases resulting
> from the disturbances which took place one day after the Manningham riot,
at
> the mainly white Ravenscliffe Estate, Bradford. For these reasons, the IRR
> is concerned that the sentencing policy is meant to discipline an entire
> community, rather than reflect the severity of each individual's actions.
> The social context that fuelled the riots - documented in, for example,
the
> Ouseley report - has also been excluded from the courts.
>
> It is unusual for the charge of riot (which carries a maximum ten year
> sentence) to be brought, even in serious disturbances. But, of those
> prosecuted, the overwhelming majority (85% of those analysed by IRR) have
> faced this charge. Most have handed themselves in to the police and
admitted
> their involvement, after their pictures appeared in local newspapers.
Though
> they have pleaded guilty and most had no previous convictions, they have
> received sentences of, on average, four-and-a-half years. Many of those
> convicted are fathers of young children. Those who have been prosecuted in
> youth courts have received between one and two year sentences combining
> detention at a Young Offenders' Institute with a training order.
>
> The IRR wishes to draw particular attention to the following cases:
>
> * Ashraf Hussain: Ashraf, 30, received a four year sentence for riot after
> the court saw video evidence of him throwing two or three stones. Ashraf,
> who has three children, has pyschological problems which mean that he is
> easily persuadable - a psychologist gave evidence that he was of
abnormally
> low intelligence and would 'follow the crowd like a sheep'.
>
> * Alam Zeb Khan: Alam, 27, received a three year sentence for riot - there
> was no evidence of him throwing stones but he was described by police as a
> 'ringleader' because he was seen shouting at rioters. Alam is deaf and has
> no previous convictions.
>
> * Asam Latif: Asam, 33, received a sentence of four years and nine months
> for riot - he threw six stones at police. Asam is the father of four
> children.
>
> * Mudasar Khan: Mudasar, 21, went to the aid of a white shopkeeper and a
> pregnant woman who found themselves caught up in the riots and, with
> friends, protected their shop. In spite of this, he received a one year
> sentence for violent disorder because he was filmed throwing a stone.
>
> * Mohammed Ali Zaman: Mohammed, 26, received a sentence of two-and-a-half
> years for riot after being filmed throwing two or three stones at the
> police. Mohammed also tried to usher youngsters off the streets and
protect
> cars parked outside a garage from being attacked.
>
> * Mohammed Arif: Mohammed, 26, has been sentenced to five years and three
> months for riot. He has two children and no previous convictions and
alleges
> that he was provoked into throwing bricks after a police officer kicked
him
> in the groin.
>
> * Christopher Ullah: Christopher, who is mixed race and 19, has been
> convicted of involvement in the Ravenscliffe Estate disturbances. The
events
> there were not officially classified as a 'riot' and so those involved
have
> received much lower sentences than those convicted of involvement in the
> Manningham riot. Christopher, however, has received a sentence of 18
months
> at a young offenders' institute - the same sentence as the Asians
convicted
> at youth courts for the Manningham riots.
>
> Sources: Yorkshire Post and Bradford Telegraph & Argus
>
>