Guilty: Darlington man caught shouting vile abuse at police

Joseph MacKenzie was one of five people on trial after widespread disorder caused chaos in Middlesbrough town centre.

The 28-year-old was caught on CCTV and mobile phone footage shouting vile abuse at police officers as they struggled to maintain order when hundreds of people rampaged around the town.

Jurors watched a video compilation of MacKenzie’s movements on August 4 which showed him at the forefront of the protesters standing in the way of the police line.

Images from the day violent disorder broke out in Middlesbrough town centre in August. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Rachel Masters, prosecuting, had asked PC Alan Lake how the defendant came to the attention of the police after jurors had watched a compilation of CCTV footage.

The Cleveland Police officer said: “He was heard shouting ‘we are f****** taking over’ and ‘we f****** hate you c****’.”

PC Lake said the defendant again approached the police cordon and tried to pass through, so he stepped in and arrested him as he was ‘irate and angry’.

During the trial, the defendant denied shouting abuse at the officers but accepted that he was shouting at them out of frustration.

MacKenzie, of Skeldale Grove, Darlington, was remanded in custody until he is sentenced in the new year.

Judge Jonathan Carroll said: “You have been convicted unanimously by a jury and you will be sentenced in January.

“I direct that a pre-sentence report be prepared, your counsel seeks to get further medical reports on you.

“Even though I am ordering a pre-sentence report do not take that as an indication of what your sentence will be – all sentencing options remain open.”

The charge of violent disorder against 38-year-old Anthony Brown, of Windsor Road, Middlesbrough, was dropped following a direction from the judge.

He was found not guilty of a charge of assaulting an emergency worker.

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Charges against a fourth man, Christopher Howard, were dropped on the second day of the trial when the prosecution offered no evidence against the 42-year-old Middlesbrough man.

A fifth defendant, Ethan Bowes, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon on the day of the trial.

The 19-year-old, of Woodhouse Road, Guisborough, will be sentenced on January 14 next year and was remanded in custody while a pre-sentence report was completed.

The trial continues as jurors continue to consider the verdict in the case of Peacock-Lightfoot, 20, of Dixon Grove, Middlesbrough.