- Sunday, June 04, 2023
Amos Noronha pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon.
By: Chandrashekar Bhat
A 20-year-old man arrested during the disorder in East Leicester over the weekend has been sentenced to 10 months in prison even as calm returned to the area after unsavoury incidents.
Amos Noronha of Illingworth Road who appeared at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on Monday pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon.
There was “overwhelming evidence against Noronha” and the sentence reflected the seriousness of the offence, temporary chief constable Rob Nixon said.
Police on Tuesday said no further disturbances were reported overnight with “proactive patrols” in place.
The intermittent violence triggered by the celebrations of India’s victory over Pakistan in a cricket match in Dubai last month escalated last weekend resulting in the arrest of 47 suspects – some of them from Birmingham.
Eighteen of the arrests were made on Sunday night for offences including affray, common assault, possession of an offensive weapon and violent disorder.
Some 16 officers and a police dog were injured during the clashes between Hindu and Muslim protesters. Rioters were seen carrying sticks and batons while bottles and other objects were thrown during the clashes.
Saturday’s trouble reportedly began after about 200 people resorted to unauthorised protests and descended into violence. Two lines of police officers separated warring groups on Belgrave Road.
The unrest forced the administration to reinforce the local police by diverting officers from the Queen’s funeral.
Nixon said people from other cities come to Leicester to disrupt and cause harm. He warned that the police force was working to “bring to justice those that are causing harm in our communities.”
Investigations into the offences continued as officers were collecting evidence, Nixon said.
Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said the “baffling” violence in a usually peaceful Leicester was fuelled by “distorted stuff” on social media.
He also lauded the “effective” police response to the unrest and hoped the situation would not repeat.
Amid calls for peace by both Hindu and Muslim community leaders, media reports said last month’s cricket match catalysed tensions in the area.
