Another yob, another pathetic excuse

A man who received a text from a mate on his way back from the gym put on a mask and launched bricks at police. Dane Freeman, 25, was one of up to 70 people involved in disorder outside a Newton Heath hotel, on July 31.

The hotel, on Oldham Road, was believed to be housing asylum seekers, Manchester Crown Court heard. Police described the group as ‘aggressive’, throwing missiles and chanting ‘racist chants’.

Freeman, from Failsworth, was identified by a distinctive tattoo on his arm, prosecutor Duncan Wilcock said. “He is seen firstly to pick up house bricks and break them against a wall and use those as missiles to throw towards police officers,” he said. No injury or damage was caused by his actions, the prosecutor added.

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Police described Freeman as a ‘ringleader’ amongst the group, as footage showed others also smashed up bricks and launched them in the direction of the police. In footage played to the court, Freeman was wearing a bright blue t-shirt and distinctive patterned shorts with a black face covering over the bottom half of his face.

He was seen to pick up at least house bricks, smash them onto the ground and then hurl them with an overarm throw at police vans and officers. The group, including Freeman, were then moved away. He was seen again carrying a brick.

He has a previous conviction for drug driving. Dan Gaskell said his client had ‘struggled to comprehend’ how he came to be involved. “He had been to work, been to the gym, then received a message from a friend and joined that friend at the scene,” he said. “He got carried away in the moment.”

Mr Gaskell said there was no record of ‘entrenched views’ and was