A BARNSLEY man who claims he ‘got caught up in the day’ has been jailed for his part in the disorder outside a hotel in Manvers earlier this month.

The wide-scale disorder outside the Holiday Inn Express Hotel in Manvers, Rotherham, took place on Sunday August 4 and Ricky Hardman, who said during his interview that he had ‘probably gone too far’, still failed to show any remorse for his actions, saying ‘he came worse off than any officer’. He suffered minor injuries from having his hand hit with a baton.

Following the disorder, teams of police officers and staff have worked at pace to identify those involved from footage and imagery, and Hardman was sighted acting in a despicable manner.

Police say that the evidence stacked against Hardman, of Norfolk Road, Barnsley, gave him no option but to plead guilty to violent disorder.

He appeared before Sheffield Crown Court yesterday and was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison and given a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) for ten years and ordered to pay £228 in fees.

The CBO prohibits Hardman from congregating in any public place with more than two people in a manner that will cause distress, alarm or fear.

Detective Chief Inspector and Senior Investigating Officer of the disorder Ben Wood said: “The pride we have in our officers for how they conducted themselves on that dark day last weekend is immense.

“While mobs of thugs attempted to provoke a reaction from our officers, they resisted provocation and handled an immensely challenging situation. It was something that no officer should ever have to endure.

“People such as Hardman who thought that they would get away with their actions are very much mistaken, and we are continuing to arrest those involved every day.

“I am pleased to see that Hardman will now serve a custodial sentence.”