THREE men from Ely have pleaded guilty to taking part in a riot that erupted after two teenagers died in an e-bike crash in Cardiff last year.
Kyrees Sullivan, aged 16, and his friend Harvey Evans, 15, were killed on the evening of 22 May 2023 when their e-bike collided with a vehicle on Snowden Road. CCTV later showed a marked police van had been following them shortly before the fatal crash, prompting allegations of a pursuit and sparking anger in the local community.
The unrest that followed led to cars being set on fire, property vandalised, and 31 police officers injured during hours of running disorder in the Ely area. Footage from the scene showed burning vehicles, masked rioters throwing missiles, and widespread damage to homes and businesses.
On Tuesday (July 15), Callum O’Sullivan, 24, Jordan Webster, 29, and Jayden Westcott, 20, all from Ely, changed their pleas to guilty at Cardiff Crown Court after previously denying charges of rioting.
The judge, Her Honour Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, granted the three men bail ahead of sentencing, which is currently scheduled for 22 December.
Meanwhile, seven other defendants appeared at court for a pre-trial review. They are Jaydan Baston, 20, Zayne Farrugia, 25, and McKenzie Danks, 22, all from Caerau; Harvey James, 19, from Fairwater; Kieron Beccano, 26, from St Fagans; Lee Robinson, 37, from Cardiff; and Luke Williams, 31, from Ely.
Due to the number of defendants involved, the case is being split into three separate trials. The first trial is expected to begin on 22 September, with further trials set for 17 November 2025 and 6 February 2026.
All seven men were released on bail until their trial dates.
The Herald understands that more than a dozen individuals have now been charged in connection with the Ely riots, with some already sentenced earlier this year. Investigations into the wider circumstances of the unrest — and the police’s actions leading up to the fatal crash — are ongoing.
