The director of a KBB company has been found guilty of violent disorder after taking part in politically-motivated riots in Middlesborough earlier this year.
Joe MacKenzie, 28, is one of two directors at DL3 Property Solutions, a company that offers Bathrooms, Kitchens, Plumbing & Heating services.
His trial began last week, and according to the Northern Echo, Teesside Crown Court heard about how Mackenzie was “at the forefront” of the riots, which erupted across the country this August.
On August 4, civil unrest started following a protest at the Cenotaph in Middlesbrough. The ensuring protest spread throughout the city, and was described by officers at the time as “staggering”.
MacKenzie was caught extensively on CCTV and mobile phone footage throughout the riot, which captured him shouting abuse and “throwing missiles” at police. He was reported as being part of a mob of around 20 men, with MacKenzie spotted wearing a face covering.
In court, PC Alan Lake testified: “He was heard shouting ‘we are f****** taking over’ and ‘we f****** hate you c****’.”
PC Lake recalled how he arrested MacKenzie after the defendant approached the police cordon and tried to break through. PC Lake testified that MacKenzie continued to be both “irate and angry” throughout the arrest.
In the courtoom, MacKenzie denied shouting abuse at police officers, but did accept that he had shouted as he may have been “frustrated”.
At his original trial hearing on August 9, MacKenzie’s legal representative claimed that he had only gone into the centre of Middlesborough “out of curioisity”, and intended to return to his car before finding his route blocked by a police cordon.
At the time, MacKenzie pleaded not guilty to using or threatening unlawful violence, and reportedly “sobbed” as he was remanded in custody and led out of the courtoom.
After handing MacKenzie his verdict this week, on Monday December 2, Judge Jonathan Carroll said: “You have been convicted unanimously by a jury and you will be sentenced in January.
“I direct that a pre-sentence report be prepared, your counsel seeks to get further medical reports on you.Even though I am ordering a pre-sentence report do not take that as an indication of what your sentence will be – all sentencing options remain open.”
Following the conclusion of the trial, MacKenzie has again been remanded in custody, and will be sentenced at the beginning of next year.
In the wake of MacKenzie’s initial court appearance, DL3 Property Solutions faced a deluge of negative comments on its social media accounts, which have not been updated since July. In addition, the company’s Facebook page now been reduced to just a one-star customer review rating.
Commenting on the company’s most recent Instagram post – which features a completed bathroom project in Darlington – one social media user joked: “I don’t think prisons gonna be this nice mate”. On an Instagram post featuring one of the company’s ensuite bathroom projects, another user quipped: “[It’s] similar size to a prison cell”.
MacKenzie’s company, DL3 Property Solutions, has also been served a first notice of voluntary strike off, after appearing in The Gazette on October 22.
