Key facts
- Ten more people have been sentenced for rioting in Ely, Cardiff, following the deaths of Kyrees Sullivan and Harvey Evans.
- The riots occurred in May 2023 after the teenagers died in an e-bike crash.
- Sentences for the second group of 10 defendants ranged from over four years to nearly seven years.
- Disruptions from the public gallery occurred during sentencing hearings.
- During a trial, it was revealed that mothers of the deceased teens were prevented by police from seeing their bodies before the violence began.
Ten more individuals have been sentenced for their involvement in riots that occurred in Ely, Cardiff, following the deaths of teenagers Kyrees Sullivan, 16, and Harvey Evans, 15, in May 2023. The e-bike crash sparked hours of violence and vandalism, with approximately 150 people gathering at the scene.
During sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court, tears and gasps were heard from the public gallery, prompting the judge to call for silence and, at one point, clear the courtroom due to disruptions. This marks the second group of defendants to be sentenced, with a total of 30 individuals facing sentencing over several days.
Sentences handed down on Thursday included six years for Zayne Farrugia, who threw stones at police; five years and seven months for Jordan Webster, who also threw stones and pushed a debris-filled shopping trolley towards officers; and five years and nine months for Jamie Bateman, who threw paving slabs. Liam Williams received four years and three months for providing accelerants used in a burning car, while Jamie Jones and Jayden Westcott were each sentenced to five years and two months for their roles in throwing missiles and engaging with police. James Chappell was jailed for four years and four months for throwing multiple missiles.
Lianna Tucker, 20, avoided a custodial sentence and received a 24-month sentence. In a separate trial related to the same riots, it was revealed that the mothers of Kyrees Sullivan and Harvey Evans were reportedly prevented by police from seeing their sons' bodies before the violence erupted. During this trial, Lee Robinson was described as an 'aggressive focal point' of the riot, and McKenzie Danks and Michaela Gonzales are among those currently on trial, denying charges of riot.