Nigel Farage has slammed what he called “two-tier justice” after protesters involved in violent scenes in Epping were handed longer jail terms than a man who sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl.
Speaking on GB News, Nigel said: “One of them has been jailed for two years and four months, one for two years and two months, and one for one year and ten months.
“But then what about the illegal immigrant who is now claiming asylum and sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl? What did he get? One year. One year?”
The GB News host said protesters who “behaved badly” had received sentences “two and a half times longer than the person who caused the original problem by committing a sexual assault on a 14-year-old girl”.
He added: “This is two-tier justice, and it’s a consequence of all the changes taking place in our system.”
Political commentator Jo Phillips responded that “the prisons are in crisis” and noted the men had pleaded guilty to attacking police officers, saying the offences are “very, very serious”.
She added: “You can see it in every local paper around the country, every day of the week. People appear in court and are spared jail despite having 3,000 convictions and goodness knows what else.
“And people throw their hands up but as we know, we’ve discussed it often, the prisons are in crisis.
“The fact that these three men attacked police officers is very, very serious. And again, they pleaded guilty.”
Nigel responded: “I’m not saying it’s not serious. I’m saying that, for a fair-minded observer, somebody who turns up at a protest and it gets out of control and they behave badly yes, that’s wrong but how do they get a sentence two and a half times longer?
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“Because they were wanting to take the law into their own hands? I don’t buy that. I’m sorry, Jo, I just don’t buy that.”
Three individuals who assaulted law enforcement during demonstrations outside The Bell Hotel received substantial prison terms at Chelmsford Crown Court.
Stuart Williams, aged 36, received the harshest punishment with a sentence of twenty-eight months behind bars.
Martin Peagram, 33, was imprisoned for twenty-six months, whilst Dean Smith, 51, received twenty-two months.
The trio pleaded guilty to charges of violent disorder after prosecutors described how a initially peaceful demonstration deteriorated into significant public unrest on July 17.
The court heard that the men were driven by animosity towards asylum seekers residing at the hotel, following charges against one resident for sexual offences.
Their actions included pushing, striking and kicking police officers during the disturbances in the Essex town.
Hadush Kebatu from Ethiopia, received a twelve-month prison term for sexually assaulting both a schoolgirl and an adult woman.
Kebatu was convicted of inappropriately touching and attempting to kiss the 14-year-old victim in Epping during incidents on July 7 and 8.
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