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Ballymena Hate-Riot Investigation Hits 100 Arrests as 21-Year-Old Jailed

Police report 91 charges with detectives continuing to publish suspect images.

Overview

  • Antrim Crown Court sentenced 21-year-old Jake Quigley to two years in prison plus two years on licence for his role in the June 9 race-motivated disorder in Ballymena.
  • The PSNI says 100 people have been arrested and 91 charged with offences that include riot, arson with intent to endanger life, and burglary with intent to cause arson.
  • Investigators reviewed more than 1,000 hours of CCTV, body-worn video and online material to identify suspects linked to attacks on homes, businesses and police.
  • Photographs of 60 potential suspects were released, leading to 49 arrests, and further images remain online as police seek to identify remaining individuals.
  • The unrest followed a protest over an alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl, saw homes of ethnic minority families destroyed, spread to multiple towns, and cases are now before the courts.