Ballymena riots: Man who handed unlit fireworks to other rioters given 16-month sentence

Ordering Corey Jackson to serve his sentence equally between jail and post-release licence conditions, Judge Peter Irvine KC told the 20-year-old he had a “lesser degree of involvement” compared to others.

“You did not throw the fireworks but you clearly facilitated and incited others to do so,” the judge told Antrim Crown Court.

“The throwing of lit fireworks can result in serious injury if they strike an individual and you clearly gave no thought as to the potential consequences that could flow from your actions,” the judge told Jackson.

He added that given the overall circumstances, the need for an element of deterrence and one which had to be increased because of the offending “being aggravated by reason of hostility due to race”, the custody threshold was clearly passed.

At an earlier hearing Jackson, from Birch Hill Park in Antrim, entered a guilty plea to a charge of rioting on 11 June this year.

During his sentencing remarks, Judge Irvine recounted that during the summer the whole of the UK saw a “significant spike in public disorder with certain racial undertones” where the homes, businesses and properties of ethnic minorities had been specifically targeted.

“On 9 June, large-scale disorder broke out on the streets of Ballymena, involving large crowds of rioters on three consecutive nights,” said the judge, adding that further violence broke out in other towns and cities across NI.

The judge said that over those three nights of disorder, multiple homes were attacked, eight families were displaced, including a pregnant woman and her child who suffered smoke inhalation when their home was set on fire, and more than 50 police officers were injured, some of them seriously.

“One family home was set alight with seven adults and five children inside but they managed, fortunately, to escape,” he told the court.

With officers coming under attack from individuals throwing masonry, fireworks and petrol bombs, the rioting “had a serious impact on the police capacity to police effectively and to keep people safe…and there has been a significant cost to the public as a result of the disorder.”

Turning to Jackson’s specific offending, Judge Irvine said he had been seen unmasked on footage at around 8.34pm and then at 9.33pm, he was seen wearing a balaclava, dressed in the same clothing but displaying the same distinctive leg tattoo.

As police were coming under attack in the Bridge Street area, Jackson was seen handing a firework to a rioter which was then lit and thrown at police before handing over another which was also lit and thrown at police lines.

After being identified by members of the public, police went to the defendant's home and a search of the property uncovered clothing which matched the clothing captured on the footage.

During police interviews, Jackson admitted being on the footage and admitted his role.

Judge Irvine said while he accepted there were mitigating features in that Jackson had a clear record, worked full time, admitted his guilt and expressed remorse, guideline authorities make it clear that in such offending, “matters of personal mitigation carry little weight.”

It was also a factor that Jackson’s role, “cannot be viewed in isolation” and that the offending is aggravated and deserving of an increased sentence “due to hostility based on race.”

The judge told the court because of that factor, he was imposing a 16-month sentence.