Man jailed after violent attacks in Mowbray Park and Vine Place in January

A man has been jailed after he committed indiscriminate acts of violence in several locations across Sunderland City Centre

Ethan McLoud, 24, was sentenced to a one year jail term after pleading guilty to violence in Vine Place and in Mowbray Park between 6.45pm and 8.15pm on January 29.

A city council neighbourhood warden on duty in Vine Place area captured him on body-worn video then CCTV operatives raised the alarm moments after the Mowbray Park incident and alerted police in the area.

A PC subsequently recognised McLoud who was arrested and later charged with affray and a public order offence.

McLoud, of no fixed abode, appeared before magistrates in South Tyneside where he pleaded guilty to both offences and was jailed for one year.

Northumbria Police’s Sergeant Maria Ord said the case showed the importance of team work: “As soon as we were made aware of these incidents, our priority was to identify the attacker and we knew a potentially dangerous offender needed to be stopped.

“It was a real team effort to pursue justice, with the city centre team spending a huge amount of time trawling CCTV footage alongside partners in a bid to track the suspect’s movements.

“Thankfully that hard work was worth it.

“Together with our partners, we will continue to do all we can to tackle perpetrators like this and ensure our region remains as safe a place as it possibly can be to live, work and visit.”

Sunderland City Council leader and Safer Sunderland Partnership chair Coun Graeme Miller said: “I am very pleased to hear about how the work of our Neighbourhood Enforcement Team has helped in identifying this man and the justice brought to him for these shocking incidents.

“This type of behaviour will not tolerated in our city and the background to it shows how we take action and how we work together. We are continuing to work closely with Northumbria Police and our partners on keeping our city safe and dealing with those individuals who are acting in a criminal or anti-social manner.”