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A “violent racist” who punched and kicked a Black man in the face during disorder in Manchester has been jailed, after claiming he thought he was joining a rally to “celebrate British culture”.
Joseph Ley, 30, was among a group of white males who confronted a lone man in Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester city centre on 3 August.
Shocking footage shows Ley punching and kicking him in the face, in an act that was “motivated by racial hatred”.
In the video, which shows the victim being attacked by multiple people, the father of two can be heard saying: “You got a problem with us English, bro?”
Other members of the crowd can also be heard shouting “kill him” and “stamp on his f****** face”.
Ley, of Hardman Street, Stockport, was sentenced on Thursday afternoon at Manchester Crown Court for violent disorder.
In his sentencing remarks, Judge John Potter told Ley: “Your actions in Piccadilly Gardens amounted to nothing more or less than mindless violence inspired by your bigoted and racist views.
“You took a leading role in the attack – being the first person who instigated any violence.
“You are a violent racist offender who has access to weapons capable of causing very serious harm.”
Defending, Emily Calman said Ley had “thought he was attending an event to celebrate British culture”.
Greater Manchester Police said 102 suspects had been identified as being involved in recent disorder and 73 of those had been charged, with more to be convicted “as the days pass”.
Earlier on Thursday, a man “inspired by the ignorance of racism” who threw bricks at police outside a hotel housing asylum seekers was jailed for two years and 10 months.
Paul Smith, 21, of Keynsham Road, Manchester, was sentenced for violent disorder at Manchester Crown Court.
In footage shown in court, Smith could be seen throwing bricks and a bottle towards police officers and vehicles during the disorder outside the Holiday Inn hotel in Manchester on 31 July.
A police officer at the scene reported that some of the group were “wearing balaclavas” while others were “drinking [from] bottles of alcohol”.
The officer said the gathering was “initially good-natured” but the “mood changed” when several hotel residents arrived.
Mr Hall said: “Glass bottles, eggs and water were thrown towards police and hotel residents as they were escorted into the hotel grounds.”
A hotel resident who was hospitalised after suffering cuts from a bottle that was thrown said the disorder had a “devastating effect” on them.
In a statement read out to court, they added: “I came to this country to feel safe, but since this incident I do not feel safe any more.”
