A MAN who hurled bricks and rocks at the windows of a hotel housing asylum seekers while shouting racial slurs has been jailed.
Zachary Pye threw the items at the OYO Lakeside Haydock hotel in the early hours of Sunday, causing several people inside to be showered with broken glass.
One rock that was thrown through a window narrowly missed a member of staff inside, while another went through the window of a room housing a pregnant woman.
Police attended the hotel, on Garswood Old Road, off the East Lancs, after receiving a report at 12.05am on Sunday, December 14.
They detained a man outside the premises.
Damage was caused to seven windows, including at the main entrance, staff offices and a fire exit.
Pye, 31, was arrested and later charged with three offences of assault in relation to victims being struck with broken glass during the incident.
He was also charged with criminal damage, racially or religiously aggravated criminal damage, two offences of racially or religiously aggravated threatening behaviour.
Pye, of Whinbury Court, Clock Face, appeared before Liverpool, Knowsley and St Helens Magistrates' Court on Monday, December 15, where he pleaded guilty to the offences.
He was sentenced to 74 weeks in custody.
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Detective Inspector Steven O'Neill, from Merseyside Police's Protecting Vulnerable People unit, said: “Pye’s actions on Sunday seriously risked the safety of staff and residents inside the hotel.
“He threw bricks and rocks while shouting racial slurs at the occupants of the hotel, and it is clear his despicable actions were motivated by hate.
“While some people inside were showered with broken glass, it is only due to sheer good fortune that none of the rocks he threw struck anyone and caused more serious injury."
He added: “This is widely known to be a hotel currently housing asylum seekers and has been the location for recent protests and counter-protests, which have in large part been peaceful on both sides.
“While we respect the rights of everyone to take part in lawful and peaceful protests, we will never tolerate acts of criminality or anti-social behaviour towards any person or premises and Pye’s actions very clearly crossed a line.
“We will continue to work with local residents as well as residents and staff at the hotel to offer reassurance and urge anyone who witnesses any offences to come forward.”
Anyone with information should contact Merseyside Police social media desk via X @MerPolCC or on Facebook ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’. You can also report information via the police website: https://www.merseyside.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/ or call 101.
Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their website here: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously . In an emergency always call 999.
If, for any reason, you do not wish to report a hate crime to the police, the independent charity Stop Hate UK to run a 24/7 confidential helpline for all victims of hate crime on 0800 138 1625 or www.stophateuk.org . You can also download the Stop Hate UK reporting app on Google Play or the Apple App Store.
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