Officers recall riot scenes as 'like a war zone'

Cars were targeted as trouble flared in Ely, Cardiff, in May 2023

Fireworks and petrol bombs were thrown at police in riot scenes "like a war zone", a trial has heard.

Jurors at Newport Crown Court were shown footage of commercial-grade fireworks being launched at officers during the riots in Ely, Cardiff, in May 2023, following the deaths of two teenage boys in an e-bike crash.

PC Matthew Haines described the scenes as "terrifying" and said South Wales Police was being stretched beyond its capacity.

Eight people deny charges of rioting.

Mr Haines, who retired after 27 years of public order experience with South Wales Police, said the force came under sustained attack from fireworks, bottles and stones.

He said the "most frightening part" was when it became clear that the force was "at its max" in terms of officer numbers and there was no extra capacity to replace the growing number of injured officers until another force could assist.

The court has heard there was 200 hours of police body-worn footage from the riot sparked by the deaths of two teenagers, Kyrees Sullivan, 16, and Harvey Evans, 15, who were killed when their e-bike crashed on Snowden Road on 22 May 2023.

Trouble flared as rumours began to circulate the boys were being followed by police at the time of crash, the court was told.

Mr Haines said his team had arrived at 21:45 BST and were initially tasked as an "arrest team" to try and pick out people causing trouble and detain them.

But the team quickly withdrew as the tactic was "simply too dangerous", he said.

As the evening progressed the team stayed at the police line where PC Zoe Lea was hit by a petrol bomb thrown from the crowd.

Her statement described how her clothes and shield were set alight and they were eventually put out by a colleague with a fire extinguisher.

PC Lea said the "level of violence and clear intention to cause us harm was horrific".

Officers from Avon and Somerset Police arrived at 23:45, allowing police to regain control and push rioters to Stanway Road, the court heard.

PC Darren Burgess told the court the scene was "like a war zone" and said he had "never seen anything like it" in his career.

In a statement, he said "the most shocking part" was when rioters used aerosols as makeshift flame throwers and "pointed the flames towards our shield".

Jurors were told the crowd also used the technique to set cars alight.

PC Burgess described being hit by an object which made him fall to the floor and X-rays later found he had a broken bone in his foot.

The court heard people in the crowd would cheer as officers fell or appeared to have been injured.

On Monday afternoon, the jury heard details of a police interview with one of the defendants, Lee Robinson, recorded after his arrest on 31 May 2023.

He admitted his behaviour could be seen as aggressive but said he did not "think until it's too late".

Mr Robinson said he went from his home in Careau to Ely after hearing his friend's son, known as Little Evo, had died. He told officers he became angry after hearing claims police had "hit them off the bike."

He admitted shouting at officers and said he focused on a dog handler he thought he recognised, telling police: "I just flipped."

Mr Robinson said he was hit with a baton and left the scene, but later returned. He told police he only watched as cars were set alight and denied taking part.

The court was shown footage from Mr Robinson's phone from later on in the riot, which he accepted contained his voice "in parts."

Police estimated that the crowd ranged from 150 to 250 people and officers recalled children as young as seven throwing stones.

The trial has been told that all eight defendants "played a part in the rioting mob".

Mr Robinson, 38, from Caerau; McKenzie Danks, 22, from Caerau; Michaela Gonzales, 37, from Ely; Zayne Farrugia, 25, from Caerau; Jordan Bratcher, 27, from Llanishen; Jaydan Baston, 21, from Caerau; Connor O'Sullivan, 26, from Ely; and Luke Williams, 31, from Caerau, deny the charge of riot.

The trial continues.