A man who was convicted of violent disorder following riots outside of a hotel that was housing asylum seekers has died whilst in jail. Peter Lynch, a 61-year-old grandfather, who was serving two years and eight months, was found guilty of participating in the unrest that took place outside the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham back in August of last year. According to reports, Lynch was heard making “racist and provocative remarks” toward officers and also referred to the asylum seekers inside the hotel as “child killers.” Lynch’s death is now being further investigated.
Lynch, who had reportedly suffered a heart attack earlier this year and had diabetes, had gone to the hotel to protest against immigration, according to his defence barrister who described Lynch as a “family man” with three grandchildren and also someone who is “very caring.” Video footage shown to the court during his trial indicated that Lynch had been “egging on” the situation before it turned ugly and began referring to the police as “scum.”
A spokesperson for the Prison Service said that an investigation had been launched following Lynch’s death, adding that:” family man” Lynch had been at the HMP Moorland facility in Doncaster. Lynch had taken a placard referencing the “deep state” and space agency NASA to the demonstration and had allegedly held a general conspiracy theory against anyone seen as an authority figure.
Lynch was serving his two-year and eight-month sentence following his guilty plea of violent disorder back on August 22nd, 2020
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