Hackney charity highlights ‘above average’ sentencing for those convicted of riot-related crimes

Riots broke out on Mare Street in 2011 after Mark Duggan was killed

The Hackney-based charity Howard League for Penal Reform has highlighted figures on sentences for crimes relating to last summer’s riots.

The figures, obtained from the Ministry of Justice, show those convicted for crimes connected to the riots have been given significantly longer average sentences.

Andrew Neil, director of campaigns at the charity, said: “The average prison sentence for involvement in the riots was 17.1 months. This compares with an average prison sentence of 3.7 months for those sentenced at court for any similar offences in 2010.”

By the end of August there had been 337 arrests for riot-related offences in Hackney.