A couple from Newcastle-under-Lyme have been sentenced to a collective four years in prison for their involvement in violent disorder during an incident in Stoke-on-Trent. The sentences were handed down today at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court following their guilty pleas at an earlier hearing.
Ciaran Lockett, 34, and his partner Deana Evans, 32, were identified through CCTV and bodyworn camera footage as active participants in the violent events. The footage revealed the pair launching missiles, aggressively pushing against police lines, and verbally abusing officers who were working to maintain public safety.
One of the most alarming moments caught on camera showed Lockett and Evans blocking a police van with its emergency lights on, pressing themselves against the vehicle to prevent it from moving through the crowd. Despite repeated orders, the couple refused to move and had to be forcibly removed by police officers.
Their defiance did not end there. The footage also showed the couple continuing to challenge the officers, forcing the police to use public order shields to push them back.
The pair were arrested at their home on August 22 after being identified in the footage. During the arrest, Evans lashed out at an officer, striking him in the chest with her elbow as her phone was being seized. She resisted being handcuffed before eventually being taken into custody along with Lockett.
At today’s sentencing, Evans was given a 20-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to violent disorder and common assault of an emergency worker. Lockett, who admitted to violent disorder, received a 32-month sentence.
Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Ellison commented on the sentencing, saying, “We’ve been working tirelessly to review all of the evidence available to identify those involved in the disorder and take decisive action. More arrests, charges, and convictions will follow across Staffordshire as we continue to act on information from the public and put a stop to those who subjected our communities to senseless violence.”
To date, more than 60 people have been arrested, and 25 have been charged in connection with the violent disorder in Stoke-on-Trent on Saturday, August 3, and in Tamworth on Sunday, August 4.
Authorities continue to urge anyone with information that could assist in their ongoing investigations to come forward through the major incident public portal.
This sentencing marks a significant step in the effort to bring justice to those responsible for the disruption and violence that shook the community earlier this month.
