Four jailed over rioting after police targeted with bricks

Police were initially called to a large crowd gathering on Old Avenue in Auchinleck

Three men and a woman have been jailed after a riot in a village in East Ayrshire led to police being bombarded with bricks and rocks.

John Gordon, 44, Terrence Taylor, 36, Christopher Turnbull, 35, and Jenna Bryce, 31, admitted forming part of a mob which "conducted itself in a violent, riotous and tumultuous manner" in Auchinleck in November 2023.

Bryce admitted posting on social media calling for "as many people as possible" to gather in Lambfair Gardens in the town prior to the incident.

Judge Norman McFadyen remanded all four in custody while background reports are prepared ahead of sentencing next month.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard about £200,000 worth of damage had been caused to East Ayrshire Council property in Auchinleck and neighbouring Cumnock during the disorder.

Riot police and dog units were dispatched to the area, while Police Scotland also used the force helicopter to quell the disorder.

Fire crews were unable to access part of the village affected by a fire until the crowd was dispersed over fears they would also be targeted.

Advocate depute David McDonald told the court Bryce had admitted posting the messages on Facebook, but said she was not the only one to do so.

She said she thought it would be a "display of local unity" against drug dealers who were allegedly using houses in the area.

Mr McDonald said one man opened his front door on 24 November to see "15 to 20 people" throwing objects at his windows.

When he went outside to confront them, he tripped and was attacked by the crowd.

He said he was struck on the head with a metal object, which he thought was a blunt machete.

The man said many people in the crowd had bladed weapons and many were concealing their identities with hoods, scarves and facemasks.

He was later taken to hospital where his cuts had to be closed with surgical glue.

Police targeted with glass bottles

The following afternoon, on 25 November, Turnbull phoned a woman telling her it was going to "kick off" that evening and she should find somewhere safe to stay.

Police later attended at Old Avenue and found a group of about 80 people outside an address in the street. Bryce, Turnbull and Taylor were at the front of the gathering.

The crowd began throwing rocks, glass bottles and fireworks at officers who removed the occupants of an address for their safety.

They then began throwing rocks at windows at another house in the street before they moved to another street where windows at a house were smashed and the door kicked in.

When the occupant later returned she found the house was extensively damaged after rocks and buckets of dirt were thrown through windows.

She said every room was damaged and it appeared fireworks were set off inside the property.

A property on Heathfield Road was targeted with fire during the rioting

The man previously injured by the mob was targeted again that evening with bricks hurled at windows.

He estimated 30 to 40 people were there and he was repeatedly punched.

Police attended another assault in Heathfield Road but were forced to retreat as a crowd threw projectiles at them.

Officers saw that a bin was set on fire at a property but the mob formed a blockade to prevent them accessing the block.

A total of 58 police officers attended Auchinleck during the course of that evening.

Police later learned that "further planned disorder" was due to take place at an address in Cumnock the following day.

They found Bryce had been "encouraging" rioting on social media.

Judge McFadyen said the offences would garner "serious" punishment.

He said: "None of you should be under any illusion about the seriousness and gravity of the position you are in."