Hull city centre at risk of becoming 'ghetto'

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Wednesday, March 03, 2010
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This is HullandEastRiding

Hull city centre is at risk of becoming a "young person's ghetto" unless something is done to curb drunken violence, a judge has warned.

Judge Jeremy Richardson QC said violence on the streets "frightens and alarms ordinary and decent people".

He made the comments as he sentenced two men who hurled racist abuse during separate drunken attacks in Hull.

Dale Ellerby, 20, and James Rollinson, 18, had both been drinking when they became involved in fights in the city centre.

Hull Crown Court heard Rollinson, an apprentice, kicked the door of a pizza shop in the early hours of July 24 last year before punching and kicking the owner.

He made a racist comment towards the owner before punching another employee, the court was told.

Ellerby, an apprentice engineer, pushed a woman against a window after becoming involved in an argument with her in the city centre on October 17 last year.

He also called her a racist name, the court was told.

Both admitted racially aggravated assaults.

Judge Richardson QC said: "Regrettably there is much low level violence in the centres of major conurbations frequently, but not exclusively, involving young men fuelled by alcohol during or after a night out.

"The city of Hull is no exception. This form of conduct frightens and alarms ordinary and decent people.

"It would be a sad day indeed if the city centre simply became a young persons' ghetto each evening because of other citizens being worried about the level of violence."

Both Ellerby and Rollinson had no previous convictions.

Rollinson was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and was handed a four-month curfew between 8pm and 7am.

Ellerby must complete 120 hours of unpaid work and was handed a two-month curfew between 8pm and 5.30am.

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16 Comments

  • Profile image for Wozadad

    by Wozadad

    Monday, September 12 2011, 1:01PM

    “Does this Judge Jeremy Richardson QC reflect on his own contribution regarding these people.?
    After all the riots around the country were blamed on the lack of authoritative parenting within the family unit or at least some were..!
    He seems too egar to eradicate the father when he sits the family court..
    So it seems he does lend a hand to both sides ...
    Maybe to keep him self in a job we all know how had it is to come by work these days...
    And a big thankyou to PC Plod and his generalised opinion of society...
    This is the cause of the down fall of this country prats like this..
    My guess a young wannabe Dirty Harry if he is a pig..
    The first to criticize and the last to help...
    Police arn't exempt from causing trouble and getting away with it are they..?”

  • Profile image for This is HullandEastRiding

    by dave, hull

    Thursday, March 04 2010, 8:22PM

    “hurray for the daily mail for misreporting facts again!

    if you are set upon by 3 people as ellerby was, surely thats assault on the 3 people's part?? racism is disgusting, but as far as i know ellerby is in no way a racist.

    what if a white man was being racially abused?? is he allowed to attack someone on the basis that hes being racially abused!? if not, surely thats double standards on the CPS/Judge's behalf!!!!!”

  • Profile image for This is HullandEastRiding

    by George, Hull

    Wednesday, March 03 2010, 3:16PM

    “Jaybo, Hull - your comments are correct. The thing is these days people are going out not to have a drink but with the sole intention of getting pi55ed.
    Now don't get me wrong, I've been drunk a few times in my life but I have never gone out with the sole intention of getting my self in such a state that I act like a moron & that seems to be the difference these days.
    Most kids these days are drinking at home before they go out & are drunk before they even get to town.”

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    by Charlie, Always within striking distance.

    Wednesday, March 03 2010, 12:53PM

    “Nail 'em up! Nail some sense into 'em!”

  • Profile image for This is HullandEastRiding

    by Jaybo, Hull

    Wednesday, March 03 2010, 11:41AM

    “I was only discussing this with my younger brother in law last night, when I used to go out back in the early nineties, you never saw trouble, city centre was lively with lots of pubs about, they all had last orders at 11.30 then you went to a night club either ritzy, tower or la`s, the drinks where cheaper back then and the nightclubs where £3 to get in, if you spent up you where happy to walk home no matter how far it was as long as you had a bag of chips. Nowadays you see kids going out for a fight they have 3 pints and want to take everyone on, I just dont get it, whats happened in the last 10 years? Oh hang on a Labour government. I wont go round town anymore generally because of the thugs and the pubs are no longer any good they are just full of paraletic kids looking to knock your pint so you start with them. I enjoyed my days of going out but I do feel sorry for the genuine people who just want to go out and have a drink with mates and pull some bird or bloke. I was jumped by three kids I had never seen before in my life whilst walking for a taxi, unluckily for them they set on the wrong man and i sorted them out, but If i had been someone who couldnt fight back I could be dead now. It needs tougher policing, tougher laws and bigger fines, also licensing hours needs to go back to the half elevens. Its easy but as someone said earlier unfortunately a lot of these thugs are now brainwashed by tv and what they see, I worry for this countrys future with nutters like this around.”

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