The 'shocking' criminal thug who won't be smiling anymore

A man who spat at and kicked police officers during the rioting in Southport has been jailed. John Rasburn, 47, also hurled cones at police lines.

Detectives said Rasburn went on to the run in the aftermath, but 'ultimately knew he couldn't hide forever'. After handing himself in to Greater Manchester Police, he's now been jailed for two years and eight months.

Violence flared in the Lancashire town and police came under attack from a mob after the murders of Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine. The girls were all fatally stabbed by Axel Rudakubana, 19, during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 29 last year.

Police said more than 50 officers were injured, with windows smashed and walls and cars damaged during the resulting riot.

Rasburn, of Gibson Street, Wigan, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court for sentence after pleading guilty at a previous hearing to charges he faced.

Police said he was captured on CCTV at the forefront of the disorder on St Luke's Road in Southport. He was seen throwing a traffic cone at officers who were trying to protect the community. He then went on to confront officers before spitting at them.

He was also seen throwing an item at officers before then running up to an officer and kicking them. The court heard that on August 11 last year, Merseyside Police circulated Rasburn as wanted for his role in the disorder. However, on January 16 he handed himself in to a police station in Greater Manchester.

The next day, Merseyside Police detectives arrested and charged him with violent disorder and two counts of assault emergency worker. Today, Rasburn was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison.

Detective Sergeant Duncan Sloan said: "Rasburn went