21-07-2025
Man who nearly hit police officer with bottle in Bolton riot sentenced
A man who threw a bottle at a riot - nearly hitting a police officer - has been sentenced.
Ali Afghan, 30, was involved in the riot in Bolton last August, which happened in the wake of the murders of three young girls in Southport.
On July 29 last year, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Bebe King, six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, were stabbed to death, with eight other children and two adults also seriously wounded.
Far right anti-immigration riots were organised around the country following the attack, fuelled by claims that the killer was a Muslim immigrant - though counter-riots were also set up.
Bolton town centre was the site of one of the protests on Sunday, August 4 last year, with around 500 rioters and counter-rioters gathering in the town centre that day.
Afghan, of Salisbury Street, Deane, was part of the counter group.
He was sentenced at Bolton Crown Court on Thursday, July 17.
The court heard how Afghan was first seen by police at around 2pm, before being seen as part of a group "actively chasing a rival group".
At one point, a bottle was thrown at him, which he caught and threw back, "narrowly missing" a mounted police officer.
He was later seen "at the front" of the counter protests.
He said to police, "If we had batons it would be a different story", before apparently saying misogynistic comments to a female officer.
Afghan pleaded guilty to violent disorder at an earlier date.
He had four convictions for six offences.
Afghan had previously been granted bail to attend his wedding, before the case was adjourned for medical evidence to be gathered in relation to his mother, who he cares for.
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Defending, Rachel Shenton said: "He came here packed with all of his clothing, expecting to go back to prison, which he dreads particularly as he is living with his mother and his relatively heavily pregnant wife, he doesn't know how they would cope without him.
"He is certainly somebody who is trying to do his best."
She added that he has been caring for his mother, who suffered a seizure recently, helping her take her medication and looking after her.
Concluding, Judge Jon Close said: "You were first seen by police just after 2pm, you would have been under no doubt at that point as to the potential for volatility and public disorder."
As he delivered his sentence, Afghan had his head down and was sniffling while he was stood in the dock.
Judge Close sentenced him to one year and 10 months, but said that it could just about be suspended due to time spent in prison on remand and time on a curfew, alongside his mitigation.
He said: "You have been extremely fortunate. Your mother's ill health is one factor and you have already served a significant period of time in custody.
"I want to make very clear, if I see you again within the next two years, your luck will be at an end."
He was also ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work, a curfew of six months from 9pm to 7am and 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
