Two men jailed for violent disorder outside Epping asylum hotel
Two men were jailed for violent disorder outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, one for two and a half years, the other for two years and eight months.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Two men have been jailed for violent disorder outside an asylum hotel in Epping, with sentences handed down at Chelmsford Crown Court.
The disorder took place on July 17th last year outside the Bell Hotel, after allegations about an asylum seeker who was later convicted of sexual assault. One senior police officer described it as the worst he had seen in his 20-year career.
Jonathan Glover, 48, from Waltham Abbey, was given two and a half years. He claimed to be a journalist, but the judge dismissed that argument, saying he encouraged the crowd to push forward, break police lines and act aggressively. Judge Mills said Glover undermined police officers, obstructed police vehicles and aided the offending of others. "Far from seeking to calm tensions you repeatedly attempted to inflame them. You painted yourself as the victim but you were the antagonist," the judge said. There was also a racial element to the offending, as Glover did not want foreign asylum seekers in the area.
Charlie Land, 24, from Hatfield, was jailed for two years and eight months. The judge described his actions as "mindless disorder". Land was masked and attacked police vehicles, ripping off and kicking wing mirrors, climbing on top of vans and stamping on sirens over several hours. He was also found guilty of criminal damage.
The judge said their actions led to fear in the local community. Both men were emotional as the sentences were read out, and family members were crying in court.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | ITV |
|---|---|
| Jonathan Glover was sentenced to two and a half years for violent disorder. | |
| The judge stated that there was a racial element to Glover's offending. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
ITV1 Lunchtime News focused on the court proceedings, giving detailed weight to the judge's reasoning and the individual actions of both men. It also highlighted the emotional atmosphere in court and the racial element identified by the judge. The report connected the disorder to the earlier asylum seeker allegation that triggered the protest.
- “It was quite an emotional morning in court actually.”
- “He encouraged the crowd to push forward, break police lines and acted aggressively.”
- “You painted yourself as the victim but you were the antagonist.”
Broadcast Timeline
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