LONDON: Two 12-year-old boys on Monday admitted to participating in disorder last week, becoming the youngest to confess to taking part far-right inspired riots that swept across northern England.
Over 500 people have been charged for taking part in the riots, which followed a July 19 stabbing in which three girls were killed.
One boy, who cannot be named due to his age, pleaded guilty to two charges of violent disorder at a court in Manchester, northwestern England.
He was accused throwing a missile at a police van during as part of a group that gathered outside a Manchester hotel housing asylum seekers.
District Judge Joanne Hirst said the boy had been more involved in the violence than any other accused person she had seen "coming through these courts, adult or child."
The far-right violence came after misinformation spread about the identity of the alleged perpetrator of the mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in the seaside town of Southport.
Another 12-year-old boy admitted to violent disorder in Liverpool Youth Court for his involvement in riots in Southport the day after the knife attack.
He was accused of throwing an object at the police, caught on CCTV, and was granted bail ahead of sentencing on September 17.
The boy who appeared in court in Manchester – accused of taking part in two separate instances of disorder – was remanded in custody until sentencing on September 2.
A stream of young people have appeared in court accused of involvement in riots as the justice system fast-tracks cases related to the disorder from last week.
A 16-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Plymouth Magistrates' Court in southwest England.--AFP