27 charged with offences after Mayhill riot

South Wales Police have confirmed that 27 people have been charged with offences relating to their involvement in the large-scale disorder at Mayhill on 20 May 2021.

The ages of those charged range between 15 and 44.

The charges laid are for the offence of riot, with two defendants also facing charges of arson with intent to endanger life or being reckless as to whether a life of another would be endangered.

They are due to appear in Swansea Magistrates’ Court between 2nd and 4th March 2022.

The charges come a week after South Wales Police were forced to apologise for their handling of May’s riot with an independent report describing how “residents of Waun Wen Road, Mayhill were left unprotected for a significant period of time”.

It says that there were “failings in command structures and decisions, operational decisions and tactics, and communications” with regard to the Police’s response to the disturbance, and calls on a “forensic investigation” to take place to better understand “the full extent of these failings and explanations for any failings”.

Large numbers of youths gathered on Waun Wen Road in Mayhill on the night of 20 May, 2021 setting fire to cars and throwing bricks at vehicles and homes as a “vigil” into the death of teenager Ethan Powell turned violent.

Ethan’s father, Jonathan Russ later condemned the actions of the rioters.

Chief Superintendent Trudi Meyrick, policing commander for Swansea and Neath Port Talbot, said: “Following a thorough investigation by local detectives the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) received files of evidence against these individuals. After detailed consideration by the CPS they have authorised the charges of riot and arson with intent to endanger life be brought.

“The investigation team were resolute in their commitment to fully investigate the disorder that happened that night; residents of Mayhill were subjected to terrible scenes of disorder which caused serious harm and distress to the community.

“The judicial process will now run its course and we await the outcome of that process. In the meantime our local Neighbourhood Policing Team continues to work in partnership with agencies and the local community to tackle the issues that matter most to the residents of Mayhill and surrounding areas.”