Six Months For Handling Stolen Phones

14 August 2011, 10:52 | Updated: 14 August 2011, 11:06

A 21 year old man who received mobile phones looted during the riots in London has been jailed for six months.

Ben Russell from Cedar Avenue, Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire (right), pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods when he appeared at Hatfield Magistrates Court on Saturday 13 August 2011.  The phones had been looted in Tottenham, north London a week earlier, at the start of the week of riots.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Williamson from Hertfordshire Constabulary said "This is the second prison sentence to be given to an offender in Hertfordshire this week as a result of participating in the disorder which has been taking place in London. I am pleased the seriousness of the offence has been recognised and resulted with a prison sentence.

"Let this be a lesson to those who have been involved in incidents of disorder -  we will be making arrests and charging people."

A 33 year old man - Phil Padon, of no fixed address - was sentenced to six months in prison on Thursday 11 August after pleading guilty to violent disorder in Watford two days earlier.