A group involved in violent disorder at a boxing tournament in Ryton have been jailed for a total of more than 48 years, after four years of investigation and criminal justice proceedings.

On 15 February 2020, a national amateur junior boxing championship was taking place at a sports centre at Ryton when a group of nearly 60 men arrived in a convoy of 13 vehicles.

The men entered the venue and targeted a small group of men inside, initiating a mass violent disorder that would last for the next 20 minutes.

After a period where chairs were thrown and people attacked, several of the men then went back outside and retrieved an array of weapons from the boots of the vehicles, including pickaxe handles, axes, knives, and spades.

Some then started to attack vehicles in the car park, before the group headed back into the venue to further attack the small group of men inside.

Members of the smaller group were cornered in the bar area, where the large group tried to get to them.

One victim was forced to the ground where he was kicked, punched, and slashed with a blade, leaving him with injuries that required stitches on his face.

Extensive damage was also caused to the venue and the boxing event was effectively cancelled.

There were approximately 300 members of the public present at the time, comprising mostly of juveniles competing that day and their families who had travelled to support them.

CCTV showed 26 members of the attacking group were armed with weapons which ranged from knives to pickaxe handles, spades, and hand-axes.

Following the event, officers and detectives launched a large-scale investigation to trace those responsible, working with the Metropolitan Police and Thames Valley Police.

Rigorous examination of CCTV and mobile phone footage led to the identification of over 30 suspects, largely from the London and Buckinghamshire area.

Following a lengthy arrest and interview phase in late 2020 / early 2021 (in the midst of national Covid lockdowns), the Crown Prosecution Service authorised 29 men to be charged with Violent Disorder, some charged additionally with Sec 20 assault leading to grievous bodily harm and an array of weapons offences.

This materialised into trials throughout 2023 which saw scores of convictions, culminating in a series of sentencings through July 2024.

At the conclusion of sentencing at Warwick Crown Court on 18 July 2024, His Honour Judge Potter commended the Police investigation and the efforts of the officers who investigated this difficult case.

Over 30 suspects were identified largely from the London and Buckinghamshire area (image by Warwickshire Police)

Detective Constable Middleton said: "This was a brazen, outrageous incident that saw people injured and would have caused huge distress to hundreds of members of the public who had simply attended a venue to enjoy a sporting event.

"Why any member of this group thought they would get away with turning a public venue into a warzone is beyond both me and the rest of the team who took part in this investigation.

"This has been a huge undertaking and I welcome the sentences handed out. All those involved in this ridiculous, dangerous behaviour now have plenty of time – whether it be through doing unpaid work or sitting in a prison cell – to reflect on their actions.

"The message is clear – there is no safety in numbers for people involved in violent disorder. Behave like this in our communities, and we'll be catching up with you."

The full list of those sentenced can be found here.

Many of the men were armed (image by Warwickshire Police)