Five people have been sentenced over the Ely riot in Cardiff, in the first group of adult defendants to be dealt with for the disorder that followed the deaths of teenagers Kyrees Sullivan and Harvey Evans in 2023.
Angry scenes broke out in court on Wednesday after the first sentence was handed down. Members of the public gallery shouted support for Ashdon O'Dare, and Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke asked for two men to be detained on suspicion of contempt of court after abuse was directed at her.
The violence began after Kyrees, 16, and Harvey, 15, died on May 22, 2023, when their e-bike crashed in the Ely area of Cardiff. Their deaths were followed by hours of unrest and vandalism, with about 150 people turning up to riot.
O'Dare, 28, from Ely, was sentenced to six years and six months. The court was told he was an “instigator” who “whipped up” the crowd during the early stages of the disorder.
Lee Robinson, 40, from Caerau, was also sentenced to six years and six months. The court heard he was aggressive and repeatedly shouted abuse at police officers during the unrest.
Michaela Gonzales, 37, from Ely, was sentenced to five years and two months. She was described in court as “vocal and confrontational” and was said to have thrown a bottle at police in the early stages of the riot.
Jordan Bratcher, 27, from Ely, received a sentence of five years and six months after being identified as part of an initial group throwing missiles at police. Tyler Stapleton, 26, from Ely, was sentenced to four years and four months after the court heard he was aggressive toward police and threw stones.
How the disorder escalated
During sentencing, footage previously shown to juries in two trials was played again. The court heard it showed the disorder developing after rumours spread that police had been chasing the boys before the crash.
By 19:55, a masked man had thrown a bottle at officers, the court heard. About 35 minutes later, police adopted a “show of strength” stance, raising batons and moving people up the road, a moment described in court as a turning point.
The court heard that the hours that followed included some of the worst rioting Cardiff had seen for decades. Objects thrown at officers included bricks, bottles, paint tins, tiles, a toilet and a burning mattress.
One bodycam clip showed a petrol bomb hitting PC Zoe Lea and setting her on fire. The court heard she was “petrified” as she felt her overalls burning. PC Ben Davies, among the first officers deployed, told the court he “genuinely believed we would be overwhelmed and killed” that night.
The policing operation cost South Wales Police more than £1m, while Cardiff council’s clean-up bill was £28,515, the court heard.
Ten teenagers have previously been sentenced for their roles in the unrest, all receiving referral orders. Sentencing is continuing, with 30 people due to be sentenced over the next few days.
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