A 53-year-old woman has admitted to causing criminal damage during the Ely riots in May 2023. Janine Reffell, a resident of Ely, damaged a police vehicle belonging to South Wales Police, resulting in £5,000 worth of damage. The incident occurred on a street adjacent to where the main disorder was taking place. Reffell pleaded guilty to the charge of criminal damage during a hearing at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on Friday. Her sentencing is scheduled for November 26, 2024. She is one of 31 individuals who have been charged in connection with the public disorder that ensued following the tragic deaths of two boys, 15-year-old Harvey Evans and 16-year-old Kyrees Sullivan, in Ely last year.
Although Reffell was not charged with rioting, she is among those facing offences linked to the unrest that followed the boys’ deaths. Meanwhile, prosecutor Alex Orndal provided a general overview of the events leading up to the riots during a recent court hearing. The incidents unfolded after a road traffic collision involving the two teenagers, who sadly passed away at the scene. As the police were managing the collision scene and protecting it, some members of the public started showing hostility towards the police, fueled by rumors that the officers had been pursuing the teenagers at the time of the accident.
The atmosphere grew increasingly tense, leading to the deployment of additional measures like cordoning off certain roads in the area. The case involving Reffell is just one of many related to the Ely riots currently facing legal proceedings. For more updates on court cases and crime news, readers can subscribe to the latest newsletters. Stay tuned for further developments as more details emerge from the ongoing legal processes surrounding the Ely riots and their aftermath.