A 12-year-old boy has become the youngest person to be charged over the riots that broke out in the wake of the killing of three young girls in Southport.

The youth, who cannot be named because of his age, has been charged with violent disorder in the Merseyside town on 30 July.

PM rules out holiday amid ‘high alert’ for unrest – politics latest

Merseyside Police said he is among three males to be charged over the riot that broke out the day after Bebe King, six, nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were stabbed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on 29 July.

More than 50 police officers were injured as up to 1,000 people gathered outside a mosque after misinformation spread over the identity of the suspect.

The boy, from Southport, is due to appear at Merseyside Youth Court, while Harvey Gabbott, 21, from Tarleton, Lancashire, and Paul Dryhurst, 33, from Litherland, are due to appear at Liverpool Magistrates Court also charged with violent disorder over the riot.

A total of 30 people have so far been charged over disorder in Southport and Liverpool.

Another 12-year-old boy pleaded guilty to two charges of violent disorder at Manchester City Magistrates Court on Monday over two separate incidents in the city.

The court heard he kicked a bus and was seen handing a rock to another youth as a group gathered July 31 outside a Holiday Inn hotel housing asylum seekers.

He was also filmed by police kicking the window of a vape shop and throwing a missile at a police van during the disorder in the city centre on 3 August.

Read more from Sky News:
Former England cricketer took own life
More than 700 migrants arrive by boat in single day

District Judge Joanne Hirst said the case was “very serious”, adding it was the first she had dealt with of a person “attending both incidents” of disorder.

Defending the boy, who was remanded to local authority accommodation ahead of sentencing on 2 September, Natasha McGarr said he was “very sorry” and “absolutely ashamed” of his conduct.

Police had made 927 arrests and 466 people had been charged across the country by Sunday.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesperson said the government “will not rest until the job is done” when asked if the police and courts will continue to pursue those involved in the riots.

While there was a welcome de-escalation over the weekend, the country remains on “high alert” for further disorder, they said.

“The job is not done until people feel safe in their communities,” they said.

“But thanks to the work of our police officers, prosecutors… and judiciary, we have seen a swift response from the justice system.

“Within a matter of days, we’ve seen criminals involved arrested, charged, sentenced and behind bars.”