Six men found guilty of Ely riots after e-bike crash deaths

Six individuals have been convicted of involvement in a riot that took place in Ely, Cardiff two years ago. Lee Robinson, Zayne Farrugia, Jaydan Baston, and Luke Williams, all residents of Caerau, along with Jordan Bratcher and Connor O’Sullivan from Ely, were found guilty of participating in the riot. McKenzie Danks, also from Caerau, was acquitted of the riot charge but had previously admitted to assaulting a police officer.

The outbreak of violence was triggered by the tragic deaths of teenagers Kyrees Sullivan and Harvey Evans in an e-bike crash in Ely in May 2023. The riot resulted in cars being targeted as trouble erupted in the area. Following a trial at Newport Crown Court, where a jury consisting of seven men and five women deliberated for over six hours, all defendants were granted bail. Robinson, Bratcher, and O’Sullivan were placed on conditional bail and instructed to wear electronic tags and adhere to specific home curfew hours.

Each of the six defendants was informed by Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke that they would face sentencing at a later date, with the likelihood of a substantial sentence involving immediate custody. Meanwhile, McKenzie Danks was informed that his sentencing for the offenses he had admitted to would take place on 26 November. The trial, initially united but divided into three parts due to the number of defendants, heard that around 200 hours of police body-worn video footage from the night of the riot had been scrutinized. Rumors circulating on social media alleging police tailing the two boys before the crash incited the unrest, with up to 150 people congregating in response.

Former South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Alun Michael initially disputed claims that the teenagers had been trailed by police before the fatal incident. However, subsequent analysis of CCTV footage by BBC Verify revealed that police had indeed been following the boys shortly before the crash occurred. An inquest into Kyrees and Harvey’s deaths in June 2023 recorded the provisional cause of death for Kyrees as a “blunt injury to the head,” while Harvey’s cause of death was attributed to “blunt injury to the head and trunk,” with both deaths classified as “violent or unnatural.” The full inquest was adjourned pending the completion of the ongoing police investigation. A total of over 40 individuals have faced charges in connection to the disorder, with a second trial to be scheduled in the future

Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More