Rioters who targeted Middlesbrough Chinese takeaway jailed

Dylan Willis was caught on video walking along Parliament Road in Middlesbrough with a brick in his hand before smashing it through the window of the Red Lantern takeaway when more than a thousand people took to the streets.

Bradley Playford was also caught on the takeaway’s CCTV system outside the premises before knocking through some glass and encouraging a masked man to go in and steal the till.

Teesside Crown Court heard how both defendants were identified with the help of the footage secured from the business owner in the wake of the wave of violence that spread through the town on August 4.

Rachel Masters, prosecuting, said the 24-year-old could be seen outside the shop ‘goading and encouraging’ the man to steal the till as rioters targeted the takeaway.

Red Lantern takeaway restaurant in Middlesbrough (Image: Google)

Footage captured from social media also showed the defendant smashing the till on the ground before grabbing cash out of the drawer and handing some over to the unknown masked man.

Playford, of Shelley Road, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to burglary following the disorder in the town centre.

Jonathan Gittins, mitigating, said there was no planning to go out and commit the burglary on the day and didn’t get involved in the violence.

He added: “He wholeheartedly regrets what he did and is devastated for the business owner and wants to apologise to them and the wider community.”

Judge Francis Laird KC jailed Playford for eight months for his role in the targeted attack on the takeaway.

He said: “Film footage uploaded onto TikTok showed you smashing the till on the ground and stealing money from it. You shared that money with the unidentified burglar.”

Dylan Willis (Image: Cleveland Police)

The court also heard how Willis, of Masefield Road, Hartlepool, handed himself in to police after footage of the disorder was shared by the force to trace those responsible.

The 18-year-old pleaded guilty to violent disorder.

Gary Wood, mitigating, said his client’s actions were directed at property rather than people.

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A pre-sentence report also described Willis as “vulnerable” due to his low IQ and lack of maturity.

Mr Wood added his client had no connection to any right-wing views or groups and argued that the teenager was an “exceptional” case.

Judge Laird agreed to make a substantial reduction in the sentence but said the least he could pass was 14 months in a young offenders’ institution.

“You threw a rock at the big window and it did not break. You tried a further twice before achieving your goal of smashing the window pane,” he said.