A youth who became the first person in the UK to be charged with riot, arising from the disorder in Sunderland on August 2, has appeared in court today (Friday October 4).

The 15-year-old was one of a growing number of people arrested in the wake of the widespread violence and destruction in the city that evening and was originally charged with violent disorder.

But after a review of evidence, the Crown Prosecution Service sought to ‘upgrade’ the charge to one of riot, a course of action taken since then in the cases of several other defendants also originally charged with violent disorder.

The 15-year-old appeared before Judge Tim Gittins for a “mention” in the case today.

(Image: North News) His legal team is to challenge the decision to upgrade the charge to riot as an “abuse of process”, which will be subject of a hearing at the court on November 8, when two other accused will make similar arguments before Judge Paul Sloan, the Recorder of Newcastle.

A trial date for the teenager has provisionally been fixed for December 2 should the decision to upgrade the riot charge be upheld by Judge Sloan.

In the meantime, the defendant, who will be aged 16 by the next hearing, was remanded back to the care of the local authority.

The cases of other defendants now accused with riot were also heard by Judge Gittins today.

See more court stories from The Northern Echo by clicking here

Boy, 15, charged with riot following Sunderland disorder

Implication of decision to charge Sunderland boy, 15, with riot

Sunderland boy, 15, charged with riot appears in court

Get more from The Northern Echo with a digital subscription. Get access for 1 month for just £1. Click here.

Thirty-five-year-old Ashley Wilkinson, of Porter Terrace, Murton, and 26-year-old John Paul Kirtley, of Rutherglen Road, Sunderland, will both also challenge the decision to upgrade their charges to riot at the same hearing, on November 8.

Provisional trial dates of January 6, for Wilkinson, and January 13, for Kirtley, were agreed should the riot charge decisions be upheld, in both cases.

Both are remanded in custody pending the hearing on November 8.