Thomas Birley, 27, has been sentenced to nine years in prison for his role in a violent attack on the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham, a hotel housing nearly 200 asylum seekers. Birley pleaded guilty to arson with intent to endanger life, violent disorder, and possession of an offensive weapon for the events that took place on August 4.
Sheffield Crown Court was shown CCTV footage of Birley wearing a black hooded coat and a red mask, adding wood to a fire that had been ignited in a bin near one of the hotel’s doors. Birley was also part of a group responsible for smashing the windows of the hotel.
Birley’s defense barrister, Dermot Hughes, stated that his client, a former painter and decorator, was “appalled” by his actions and expressed “heartfelt remorse.”
In addition to the nine-year sentence, Birley will serve an extended period of five years on licence after his release. This sentence represents the longest handed down in relation to the disorder at the asylum seeker hotel.
