A youth football coach has been sentenced to two years and nine months in prison for his involvement in violent disorder at a protest outside an asylum hotel in Epping, Essex. Lee Gower, 43, was found guilty of the offences which occurred on 17 July last year, where he was among an estimated 500 individuals demonstrating outside The Bell Hotel.
Chelmsford Crown Court heard that Gower, who coaches his son's football team, engaged in aggressive behaviour towards police officers, including punching, kicking, and shoving them. Prosecutor Sam Willis told the court that Gower also threw a large barrier at a police van. The court was informed that Gower adopted a "fighting or boxing stance" during the clashes and was motivated by "hostility" towards asylum seekers, accusing them and the police of serious offences.
The protest reportedly began peacefully, but the situation deteriorated following the arrival of approximately 50 counter-demonstrators around 5:30 PM BST. Police officers, attempting to maintain separation between the two groups, faced "large-scale acts of violence" from a segment of the crowd, including Gower. Judge Alexander Mills condemned Gower's actions, stating they were "clearly far removed from peaceful protest" and that he deliberately joined a "mob" before attempting to evade arrest by fleeing to Gloucester.
Tony Wyatt, representing Gower, described his client as a "well-liked" community member who had taken his concerns about asylum seekers in Epping too far. However, a statement from a senior police officer, read to the court, highlighted the severity of the incident, remarking: "In my 20 years of policing, I have never witnessed this scale of disorder in Essex - and certainly not in a town like Epping."
Gower's co-defendant, Phillip Curson, 53, from Upminster in east London, was also convicted of violent disorder and is scheduled to be sentenced on 14 August. The incident underscores the challenges faced by local authorities and police in managing public demonstrations, particularly those involving sensitive social issues.