Three men from Blackpool have pleaded guilty and had dates set for sentencing for their part in the rioting at the weekend.
All three men pleaded guilty at Preston Magistrates’ Court after charges were swiftly brought. Offences included assaulting emergency services and possession of a metal pole as an offensive weapon.
Roger Haywood, 41, of Yew Tree Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting an emergency worker. He was granted bail ahead of his sentencing hearing on September 4 at the same court.
Tyla Chalmers-Millington, 18, of Langdale Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to a racially aggravated public order offence. He was told he must not enter Blackpool Promenade within 500 metres of the Metropole Hotel ahead of his sentencing hearing at the same court on September 3.
Ben Smith, 32, of Dickson Road, Blackpool, was remanded in custody after admitting possession of an offensive weapon – a metal pole – and is due to be sentenced at Preston Crown Court on September 16.
When confirming the initial charges on Monday, police said they expect there to be further arrests.
The so-called protests were slammed by a senior police figure as having "nothing to do with legitimate protest or the tragic events of last Monday”.
Deputy Chief Constable Sam Mackenzie, of Lancashire Constabulary said: “Four people have been charged, and a number of people have been arrested, however this is only the beginning of our enquiries. We have a dedicated team reviewing CCTV, and I expect there to be further arrests.
“These charges reflect just how seriously we are taking these offences. We will not tolerate this behaviour in our county, and we will identify you, find you and bring you to justice if you are committing these crimes.
“The scenes in Blackpool we saw on Saturday, by those intent on causing disorder, has nothing to do with legitimate protest or the tragic events of last Monday.
“The support we have had from local communities for our police officers has been greatly appreciated.
“We will always put the safety of the public first and are incredibly grateful for your support. Be assured we will continue to police in such a way that puts the needs of our communities at the heart of everything that we do.”
There's lots of ways you can support our work as The Blackpool Lead, from a one-off donation, to a monthly payment through to shopping for The Lead branded merchandise too. It all helps support our independent, in-depth, journalism.
See our special edition which was sent to subscribers during Sunday morning, focused on the scenes of disorder from Saturday.
The Blackpool Lead is now on Substack.
Become a Member, and get our most groundbreaking content first. Become a Founder, and join the newsroom’s internal conversation - meet the writers, the editors and more.
