1 month ago
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The first adults charged with rioting in relation to mass disorder in Cardiff in 2023 have entered a mixture of guilty and not guilty pleas.
Two have so far pleaded guilty to riot – with one of these also pleading guilty to drugs offences. Nine have pleaded not guilty to the rioting charge.
The disorder in Ely began on the evening of 22 May 2023 when Kyrees Sullivan, 16, and Harvey Evans, 15, died in a bike crash.
Twenty-seven people have been charged with riot in total, while four others have been charged with causing or threatening to cause criminal damage.
The defendants started appearing in groups before Cardiff Crown Court on Monday, charged with riot.
Kyle Telemaque, 19, from Ely, who was in the first group of five to appear, pleaded guilty to the rioting charge as well as two separate charges related to supplying cannabis.
Jumana Fouad, 18, from Ely - who was 16 at the time of the incident - also pleaded guilty. The court heard she was charged with the offence shortly after her 18th birthday.
Callum O'Sullivan, 23, from Ely, appeared before the court but was not arraigned.
Nine others pleaded not guilty.
These were: Lianna Tucker, 18, from Ely; Michaela Gonzales, 26, from Ely; Jayden Westcott, 20, from Ely; Jamie Jones, 23, from Llanrumney, Cardiff; Luke Williams, 31, from Ely; Connor O'Sullivan, 25, from Caerau, Cardiff; Zayne Farrugia, 24, from Caerau; Lee Robinson, 37, from Cardiff; Jaydan Baston, 20, from Caerau.
No trial date has been set, with another hearing set for November 1.
In total, 19 people are due to appear before the court on Monday.
Fifteen police officers were injured in the disorder, which saw property damaged and cars torched.
Crowds of about 100 to 150 people gathered at the scene of the boys' deaths shortly afterwards.
