'Dangerous' Rotherham hotel rioters jailed for combined 15 years
One of the men blocked a fire door with a piece of wood, while the other threw a fire extinguisher at police
Two fathers who tried to set fire to a hotel housing asylum seekers and attacked police trying to protect them have been branded "dangerous" by a judge.
Mason Lowe and Morgan Heeley were part of a mob that terrified the 200 terrified residents at the Holiday Inn, Rotherham, who were trapped inside in August, Sheffield Crown Court heard.
Staff working that day thought they were going to die and barricaded themselves inside with freezers up against a door to protect themselves.
Plumbing engineer Lowe, 28, of Lowfield Road, Bolton-upon-Dearne, South Yorkshire, was jailed for seven years and six months after he admitted arson with intent to endanger life and violent disorder.
His heavily-pregnant partner had shouted at him to "grow up or do not f***ing come home" during the widespread disorder.
Trainee barber Morgan Heeley, 26, also a father of two, from Margaret Road, Darfield, Barnsley, also admitted arson with intent to endanger life and violent disorder, and was sentenced to serve eight years.
Judge Jeremy Richardson, the Recorder of Sheffield who has dealt with scores of offenders from the trouble that day, decided both men were dangerous and extended their licence period by three years.
He said they joined "an ugly and extremely violent mob" outside the hotel.
The judge said: "The disorder was racist and extremely frightening for anyone who was there."
A flaming wheelie bin was pushed up against a hotel fire door, effectively trapping those inside.
Lowe propped a piece of plywood up across the fire door, meaning a police officer inside was unable to direct a fire extinguisher onto the bin.
Masked and draped with a flag of St George, Lowe goaded police that afternoon and pushed out at an officer.
Heeley was seen carefully placing a lit item inside the wheelie bin - although neither defendant started the fire.
He also shoved over a female officer, smashed a large hotel window which raised a cheer from the crowd, tried to set fire to hotel curtains, opened a door on a police riot van, threw missiles at officers and used a fire extinguisher on police.
Judge Richardson told them: "You are both demonstrably capable of executing very serious mob violence and seriously endangering the lives of people whom you appear to despise.
"You were both in the thick of it and each played a prominent role.
"You are both unquestionably dangerous offenders.
"Even though both of you deny this, I am also sure you had a racist mindset at the time.
"Your conduct exemplifies this - despite your protestations to the contrary to the relevant probation officers.
"It is my judgment you will both need careful monitoring when the time comes for your release.
"It is to be hoped the racist malignancy within you both can be eradicated whilst in custody."
The judge said political protest was allowed in the UK.
He said: "What took place in Rotherham that day had nothing whatever to do with legitimate political protest, it was a desire to perpetrate racist mob rule and to commit very serious criminal offences in the process."