Thirty rioters sentenced for disorder which saw police officer set on fire

Nearly 140 years in total were handed down to 30 people over the May 2023 Ely riots, which followed the deaths of two teenagers in an e‑bike crash.
Many defendants were jailed for violent acts against police — including petrol bombs, thrown missiles and one officer being set alight — while a few who were under 18 received community orders.
Court scenes were emotional and tense: supporters wore turquoise shirts for the boys, the public gallery was cleared during disruption, and the judge praised the police who worked that night.