A “misguided, naive and immature” young mother who brought her 20-month-old son in a pram to an asylum hotel riot has been spared jail. Nevey Smith, 21, of Oldham, threw water at police officers trying to keep order outside the Holiday Inn in Newton Heath, Manchester, on July 31.
A mob had been throwing bottles, bricks and eggs at the hotel amid nationwide unrest after three girls were stabbed at a holiday club in Southport on July 29. Smith admitted violent disorder last month.
Judge Patrick Field KC, sentencing her at Manchester Crown Court on Monday, said: “You chose to join (the disorder) notwithstanding that you had your 20-month-old child in a pushchair.
“What on earth were you thinking? I doubt you had his safety in mind.”
The judge also told Smith she had a “lot to learn” and “quite a lot of growing up to do”, labelling her “misguided, naive and immature”. He said her role was “minimal and peripheral” as she had not been involved in throwing bricks or encouraging others to do so.
Daniel Calder, defending, told the court Smith had not set out to attend the protest on the day, and had been passing the riot when she “foolishly” got involved. He said Smith had not expressed discriminatory views and did not know what an asylum seeker is.
Smith was handed a community order and made to attend reviews at a women’s problem-solving court, and carry out 100 hours of unpaid work. Her mother, Vanessa Smith, 42, was also at the protest and admitted violent disorder.
She will be sentenced on Thursday.
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