Rotherham Riots: Man Sentenced for Role in Hotel Attack

A man from Rotherham, Trevor Lloyd, has been sentenced to three years in prison for his involvement in a violent mob that stormed a hotel housing asylum seekers. The incident occurred on August 4, when Lloyd, who claims he was merely shopping at a nearby Aldi, filmed the chaos as a group breached the Holiday Inn Express. Sheffield Crown Court was presented with TikTok footage showing the crowd breaking into the hotel, where they vandalized property and hurled items, including furniture and fire extinguishers, at police officers. Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, who has presided over several cases related to the Rotherham riots, described the footage as the “worst” he had seen. He emphasized the terror experienced by hotel residents and staff during the attack, stating that the scenes were “frightening and alarming” even to witness in the courtroom. The judge noted that the police officers present were also forced to retreat under the barrage of thrown objects. Lloyd, 49, admitted to violent disorder in a previous hearing. His defense attorney, Richard Adams, argued that Lloyd had initially gone to the area for shopping but made a “foolish error” by choosing to observe the unfolding violence. The court's decision reflects the serious nature of the disturbances that took place, highlighting the impact on both the victims and law enforcement during the incident.