Yahoo News Stradey Park Hotel protester tried to 'incite' crowd and assaulted police officer
A man used his revving motorbike to "incite" the crowd outside a hotel which was controversially earmarked to house asylum seekers, a court has heard. Philip Murphy also used the bike to "push" a police officer who was trying to keep the peace at the Llanelli demo before riding his machine into the hotel grounds.
Swansea Crown Court heard Murphy, from Swansea, has a long history of serious violent offending including multiple convictions for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and inflicting grievous bodily harm. A judge said the 55-year-old defendant had gone to the hotel to intimidate and to incite the crowd to get out of control, and said the consequences of his actions could have been very serious.
Caitlin Brazel, prosecuting, said the incident happened at lunchtime on October 1 last year at the Stradey Park Hotel in Llanelli. She said a large crowd of people had gathered outside the establishment, and that at the front of the crowd was Murphy on his orange motorbike.
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At the time of the incident the hotel was at the centre of long-running demonstrations and protests revolving around Home Office plans to use it as a hostel for asylum seekers. The scheme was eventually dropped. You can read the full story of what happened at the Stradey Park Hotel here
The prosecutor said Murphy repeatedly and excessively revved the engine on this motorbike and edged the machine forward towards officers. Police told the defendant to stop and to move back but he continued to rev the engine, saying he couldn't hear what the officers were saying. On a number of occasions officers pressed the kill switch to turn off the bike's engine but Murphy simply started the machine again and continued revving the motor and edging the machine forward using it to try to "push" a constable out of the way. The 55-year-old's demeanour was described as "aggressive" and the PC became concerned for his safety and safety of his colleagues.
The court heard Murphy managed to get through the police line and rode his bike into the hotel grounds where officers tried to stop him and ask for his details but he rode off. However, the registration of his motorbike had been noted and checks showed the defendant to be the registered keeper.
When officers went to his house on October 14 they saw the orange bike parked outside and found a skull and crossbones face covering and helmet matching the items worn by the rider outside the hotel in the property. Officers seized the bike. For the latest court reports, sign up to our crime newsletter here
Murphy, of Redwood Court, Heol Emrys, Penlan, Swansea, had previously pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has 23 previous convictions for 69 offences between 1982 and 2002 including affray, obstructing a police officer, reckless driving, wounding, two for inflicting grievous bodily harm, and five for assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Andrew Evans, for Murphy, said with the help of his partner the defendant had reflected upon his behaviour and had realised he should not have gone to the hotel in the first place and certainly should not have behaved in the way he did. He said it was clear from the contents of the detailed pre-sentence report on his client that "there are deficits in his thinking" and he said Murphy understood the seriousness of his position and understood that the court could send him into custody.
Recorder Mark Powell KC said claims made by Murphy to the author of the pre-sentence report that he did not really realise what he was doing outside the hotel were "nonsense". He said the defendant intended to "intimidate" and to "incite", and said in revving the engine of his bike Murphy was also "revving up the crowd". The recorder said police had been trying to keep control of a difficult situation and "the last thing they needed was for some idiot to turn up on a bike", and he told Murphy "effectively you were inciting the crowd to get out of control". The judge said the consequences could have been "very, very serious".
With a one-quarter discount for his guilty plea Murphy was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months. He must also complete a rehabilitation course and do 150 hours of unpaid work in the community.
The judge said Murphy had used his bike as a weapon and had the prosecution sought a court order for the defendant to forfeit the machine he would certainly have granted it, adding: "Had it been up to me, you would not have seen that bike again."
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