A “restless and agitated” crowd began to throw missiles including petrol bombs at police during a riot following the death of two teenagers, a court heard. It was also said that cars were burnt out and flipped over during the incident, which led to 32 police officers being injured. A total of 31 people have been charged with offences in relation to riots in Ely, Cardiff, following the death of Kyrees Sullivan, 16, and Harvey Evans, 15, on March 22 last year.
The boy’s death sparked hours of violence and vandalism as footage emerged of a police van following the teenagers moments before a collision. A set of hearings at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court saw 17 defendants appearing for their first court appearances on Thursday. All 17 spoke to confirm their ages and addresses, and their cases were sent to Cardiff Crown Court, for their first hearings to take place on October 21.
During the hearing, prosecutor Alex Orndal gave a brief summary of the prosecution’s case against the defendants. He mentioned that shortly after 6 pm on May 22 last year, South Wales Police received a report of a road traffic collision in Snowdon Road involving the two teenagers who tragically passed away at the scene. Tensions rose as members of the public became restless and hostile towards the police, leading to rumours that the police had been pursuing the teenagers before the collision.
Orndal described how the crowd of 200 people escalated the situation by throwing various missiles at officers, including rocks, bed frames, fireworks, and petrol bombs. The chaos continued into the early hours of the next day, with the riot resulting in injuries to one member of the public and 32 officers, as well as significant damage.
Of the 31 defendants charged, 27 are accused of rioting, three are facing charges of threatening to cause criminal damage, and one person is charged with criminal damage. The Crown’s case is that each defendant participated in the riot in some capacity, and the exact roles of each individual will be determined in the upcoming trial.
A further 14 defendants, including eight youth defendants, are scheduled to appear at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on Friday for their initial appearances. The series of events surrounding the Ely riots and the subsequent legal proceedings continue to unfold as the community seeks justice and accountability for the violence and destruction that took place.