Ely riots trial hears police wouldn't let mothers of boys who died go to them - live updates

The second day of the trial into eight defendants accused of taking part in the Ely riots has begun after the court previously heard bricks and fireworks were thrown at police. A petrol bomb was said to have been thrown at one officer and engulfed her in flames.

The riots in the Cardiff suburb broke out on May 22, 2023, following the deaths of Kyrees Sullivan, 16, and Harvey Evans, 15, who were killed in a collision while riding an electric bike. Footage later emerged of a police van following the two teenagers shortly before the crash, but an investigation concluded it was half a mile away at the point of the collision. You can catch up on the first day of the trial here.

Lee Robinson, 38, of Heol Deva, Caerau, Luke Williams, 31, of Deere Place, Ely, Jaydan Baston, 21, of Heol Poyston, Caerau, Michaela Gonzales, 37, of Plymouth Wood Close, Ely, McKenzie Danks, 22, of Heol Trelai, Caerau, Jordan Bratcher, 27, of Glyndwr Road, Ely, Zayne Farrugia, 25, of Heol Ebwy, Caerau, and Connor O'Sullivan, 26, of Caerau Court Road, Caerau, have pleaded not guilty to rioting. F or the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter.

The trial at Newport Crown Court opened on Monday and heard that shortly after the boys' death, there was "grief, distress and anger" as a crowd gathered in Snowdon Road, where the collision occurred on May 22, 2023.

In his opening, prosecutor Matthew Cobbe said police officers faced hostility as they set up cordons to protect the scene where the boys died. He said it escalated rapidly. And he described how "bottles, bricks, plasterboard and more were hurled at police officers".

He said: "A fire was set and fireworks thrown, cars trashed, overturned and set alight. A petrol bomb was thrown at a police