South Yorkshire PoliceA grandfather convicted of violent disorder after taking part in rioting outside a hotel used to house asylum seekers has died in prison.
Peter Lynch, 61, was serving two years and eight months after he pleaded guilty to being part of the unrest at the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham on 4 August.
He shouted “racist and provocative remarks” towards officers and called asylum seekers in the hotel “child killers”, Sheffield Crown Court heard at his sentencing.
A spokesperson for the Prison Service said Lynch, who had been at HMP Moorland in Doncaster, died on Saturday.
“As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate,” the spokesperson added.
“Family man” Lynch, who had suffered a heart attack earlier in the year and had also been diagnosed with diabetes, had gone to the hotel to protest against immigration, his defence barrister said.
He had “a general conspiracy theory against anyone and any form of authority”, and had taken a placard referencing the “deep state” and space agency Nasa.
Video played to the court showed Lynch “revving up” the situation before it turned violent and calling the police “scum”, the judge said.
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