Tattooed football hooligan in tears as he admits swinging punches during Piccadilly Gardens riot, as more appear in court over unrest

A man who caused terror when he live-streamed an asylum seeker hotel has admitting stirring up racial hatred, as more people accused over the unrest in Greater Manchester appeared in court today (August 7).

Aaron Johnson, 32, was among a second tranche of suspects who appeared at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court this morning following the unrest which took place in Bolton and Manchester city centre over the weekend.

A second man, Liam Ryan, 28, wept as he admitted violent disorder in Piccadilly Gardens. Disorder hit towns and cities across the country, including in Greater Manchester, followed the fatal stabbings of three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance club in Southport last week.

Incorrect rumours – that the suspect in the stabbings was an asylum seeker who arrived in the UK on a small boat – spread on social media and appears to have fuelled the unrest.

READ NEXT: Manchester court updates LIVE as more charged over disorder following riots

Aaron Johnson, 32, of Criterion Street, North Reddish, Stockport, pleaded guilty to an offence of distributing a recording intending to stir up racial hatred, contrary to the Public Order Act when he appeared at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court this morning.

The court heard that on August 5 Johnson attended outside a hotel in Stockport where it is believed that asylum seekers were staying. Members of staff became aware of his presence, and it later became clear that he was live streaming on YouTube.

“Members of staff started to become concerned for the welfare of the asylum seekers. They spoke with the defendant and he became aggressive towards them,” prosecutor Laura Peers told the court.

“He started saying that people staying in the hotels had been