Trial dates set for adults charged with riot after deaths of two boys in Cardiff

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A date has been set for two trials for people charged with rioting following the deaths of two teenagers in an e-bike crash in Wales last year.

Sixteen adult defendants appeared before Cardiff Crown Court on Friday charged with rioting in the Ely area of Cardiff in 2023.

All have previously denied the offence.

Tensions in the Ely area of the city boiled over following the deaths of Kyrees Sullivan, 16, and Harvey Evans, 15, on the evening of May 22 2023 when they crashed on an e-bike minutes after CCTV captured them being followed by a South Wales Police van.

Local people and police at the scene clashed, leading to a riot that lasted several hours, during which time dozens of officers were injured, property was damaged and cars were set alight.

Because of the number of defendants, the court has split the trial in two, with the trial for the nine adults expected to start on September 22 2025 at Newport Crown Court.

Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, the Recorder of Cardiff, said the gap between the trials would “prevent overlap between juries”.

The defendants to appear in the first trial are: Jaydan Baston, 20, from Caerau, Cardiff; Zayne Farrugia, 24, from Caerau; McKenzie Danks, 21, from Caerau; Harvey James, 18, from Fairwater, Cardiff; Jordan Webster, 28, from Ely; Kieron Beccano, 25, from St Fagans, Cardiff; Lee Robinson, 37, from Cardiff; Jayden Westcott, 20, from Ely; Luke Williams, 31, from Ely.

A pre-trial review for the first group is expected to be held on July 18 2025.

The second trial will start on November 17 2025 also at Newport Crown Court and is expected to last four to five weeks.

The second group are: Jordan Bratcher, 26, from Llanishen, Cardiff; McKenzie Pring, 19, who appeared from HMP Parc; Connor O’Sullivan, 25, from Caerau; Michaela Gonzales, 26, from Ely; Ashdon O’Dare, 26, from Ely; Lianna Tucker, 18, from Ely; Jamie Jones, 23, from Llanrumney, Cardiff.

A pre-trial review hearing was set for September 19 2025 for the second group of seven.

All the defendants were granted bail.

The judge also set a separate hearing for Callum O’Sullivan, 24, from Ely, who was previously charged with riot but has yet to be arraigned and was not required to appear before the court on Friday.

O’Sullivan is expected to appear before the court on March 28 2025.

A sentencing date for two defendants – Kyle Telemaque, 19, from Ely and Jumana Fouad, 18, from Ely – who previously pleaded guilty to the offence was also set for December 22 2025.

Telemaque was 17 at the time of the incident and Fouad 16.

Seven youths, aged between 15 and 17, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are set to appear before Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on December 16, also charged with riot.