A grandfather who was jailed during the August riots for shouting abuse at police has died in prison.
Peter Lynch, 61, described as a conspiracy theorist at his court hearing, is believed to have taken his own life on Saturday night at HMP Moorland near Doncaster in south Yorkshire, according to prison sources
Lynch was jailed for two years and eight months on Aug 22 after pleading guilty to violent disorder in a hearing at Sheffield Crown Court.
The court was told Lynch went to the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers, Rotherham, on Aug 4 with a placard which called police officers, MPs and the media “corrupt”.
Lynch shouted “racist and provocative remarks” towards officers and called asylum seekers in the hotel “child killers”, the Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, told the court during his sentencing.
His death in jail will now be investigated by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman.
A prison service spokesman said: “HMP Moorland prisoner Peter Lynch died on Oct 19 2024. As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.”
“Family man” Lynch, who recently had a heart attack, had gone to protest at the hotel against immigration, his defence barrister told the hearing in August.
He had “a general conspiracy theory against anyone and any form of authority”, and his placard referenced the “deep state” and space agency Nasa. Video played to the court showed Lynch “revving up” the situation before it turned violent, the Recorder said.
He was filmed calling the police “scum”. His sign and protest was not unlawful, but his verbal abuse towards police officers during the “racist incident” crossed the line, the Recorder added.
Lynch, of Burman Road, Wath-upon-Dearne, was a “full participant” in the disorder, the court was told. “You were unquestionably endeavouring to rev up the situation the best you could,” the Recorder added.
Lynch’s placard stated that police chiefs, reporters, civil servants, judges and the Environment Agency were all “corrupt”.