Mum thanks judge after he jailed sons who burgled library during Liverpool riots
A mum thanked a judge who jailed her two sons after they looted a library during far-right riots in Liverpool.
Trudi Wharton sobbed as her sons Adam, 28, and Ellis, 22, were jailed for 20 and 11 months respectively.
As they were led down to the cells, she called out ‘I love you’ to her sons before telling Judge Neil Flewitt KC: ‘Can I just thank you, Judge?’
The pair pleaded guilty to burglary with intent to steal from the Spellow Lane Library Hub in Walton, with Ellis also admitting he assaulted an emergency worker during his arrest.
The library was opened last year to support one of the most deprived communities and included a food bank.
Ellis was found inside wearing a mask on August 4 holding a computer screen and sustained a black eye as he was arrested.
Adam was arrested nearby with a balaclava on him as he acted as a look out.
Speaking outside court, Trudi told Sky News she was ‘expecting longer’, adding her sons got ‘carried away’.
She said: ‘We’ve never had riots before. It’s heartbreaking, it’s very, very heartbreaking.
‘They lost their dad six years ago so I haven’t got the support of him either. I’ve got a lot of disabilities and both my sons are very helpful to me. Very helpful.
‘It’s going to be awful – a really, really big struggle. And it’s not nice that people may look at me because they’re my children. And I’m not a scumbag to be honest.’
Ellis claimed he was ‘blackmailed’ by is brother who had asked him to looting.
Adam has 16 previous convictions for 28 offences, including attempted robbery, robbery, theft, assault and burglary.
The judge said the brothers took the ‘deliberate decision’ to leave their home to ‘steal anything of value’
Judge Flewitt said: ‘Your conduct is more commonly described as looting, a despicable crime where the offender seeks to profit from the misery of others.’
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